


A little tied up (cause I'm stuck on you)

by SteadfastStar (girl_in_a_dream)



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: 5 Times, 5+1 Things, Alpha Ben Solo, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Awkward Sexual Situations, Caught Stuck Together, Coitus Interruptus, Crack, Crack Treated Seriously, Desk Sex, Embarrassing moments, Emotional Constipation, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Crack, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Smut, Happy Ending, Humor, Interrupted While Knotting, It's basically just knotting, Knotting, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Omega Rey (Star Wars), Outdoor Sex, Public Sex, References to Knotting, Rey has commitment issues, Scenting, Semi-Public Sex, Soft Ben Solo, Surprising Amount of Emotions, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Uh-oh, Workplace Sex, Yes it is ironic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-28
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:26:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 32,880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23213998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/girl_in_a_dream/pseuds/SteadfastStar
Summary: Rey had heard about it, of course. Everyone had, she was sure.But Rey had never, ever, thought it would happen to her.Or:Five times Rey and Ben get away with being stuck together and one time they don’t.OR:How Rey comes to terms with her true feelings for Ben through a series of awkward (and sometimes hot) incidents.A ‘caught-while-knotting’, crack-y but super soft Modern A/B/O.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 173
Kudos: 841





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've been working on this for a little while and with what's happening in the world right now, I thought it might be the perfect time to share this ridiculousness. And make no mistake, this is quite silly at times. 
> 
> So I am a big fan of A/B/O fic and in my extensive ‘research’ I’ve noticed that, despite copious knotting in many locations, there seems to be a surprising and frankly disappointing lack of getting interrupted and almost caught out during said knotting—a scenario which I just had to explore. 
> 
> Okay so along with the awkwardness, this has also turned into a super soft and fluffy character-driven plot, so... enjoy!

Rey had heard about it, of course. Everyone had, she was sure. It was something kids gossiped and sniggered about in high school health classes and was joked about on stupid teen comedies like _Knotted Up_. 

Getting caught ‘ _caught’._

For Rey, she had gawked at embarrassing entries about it in the teen O mags her fellow Omegas had passed around and which she’d snuck into her foster houses to read. Stories like that were often part of the equally hilarious and cringe-worthy ‘ _How Not to Knot_ ’ column in the special ‘sealed’ sections that were a staple of the limited Omega guidance she’d hoarded as precious during those baffling and turbulent adolescent years. 

Rey had devoured every scandalous article with horrified fascination, appalled by what was described but unable to stop reading, like witnessing a car crash of the strange genital variety. There was usually some sage information about common reactions during such occurrences and ‘Top 5 Tips’ for Omegas on how to manage the situation with as much dignity as possible. 

But could she remember that advice now? 

No. She could not. 

Because never in her craziest, most fevered imaginings as a newly-presented, gangly and self-conscious sixteen-year-old Omega, did she ever, _ever,_ think it would happen to her. 

But then, one day... it did. 

And somehow, through no fault of her own—well, maybe she could take a small measure of responsibility for one or two of them (but who was counting really)—it happened quite a lot. 

  
  


————--




  
  


The first time, Ben’s fat fingers were to blame. 

Not that his fingers were fat, just long and wide with thick blunt fingertips. They were simply proportionate to his broad shoulders and sturdy hands—and everything else. And while he knew how to use them to make Rey feel amazing (she could well attest to that fact), when it came to other delicate tasks, such as operating his phone, that was when he struggled. 

That morning was no exception. 

The rain that had come during the night had finally stopped and a fresh and warm breeze gently blew through the tall window, pushing back the grey blinds and allowing shafts of light to enter Ben’s loft apartment, illuminating the wide bed in which he and Rey lay entangled under crumpled sheets. 

Rey couldn’t move. Well, she could move her arms. And her legs. And turn her head and neck. Blink and talk. And lift her body to a sitting position on top of Ben—actually she could move everything. 

Everything except for the very core of her, between her legs. She couldn’t move that bit. And nor could she move her body away from him. 

She was stuck. To Ben. Or maybe more accurately; Ben was stuck _in_ her. 

She could feel his thick knot as it continued to pulse rhythmically inside of her, her inner muscles clenching weakly around him with every pulse. The tingles that had spread up from her toes, through her limbs and ending again at her center still prickled gently up her spine, like flickers of a dying fire, burning down into embers but still radiating warmth. 

Normally the idea of being physically attached to someone for an unspecified and variable length of time, especially after sex, would send her running for the hills. 

And if this was a ‘normal’ day, with a typical Tinder hookup, she would be up and out of bed, pulling on her clothes as soon as the sex was over, anxious to avoid any unnecessary and awkward conversations or invites. Then she’d scamper as quickly and efficiently as possible out the door with her phone ordering a Lyft in her hand, never to see the Beta again. 

Because it was always Betas, of course. 

Rey didn’t need an Alpha. She’d never wanted an Alpha. They were all just knotheads with an overinflated sense of importance anyway. 

The only time she had supposed they might be slightly useful was during heats, although Rey had always managed just fine (although painfully) with only her trusty knotting dildo. And while she couldn’t help the occasional heat-drunk thought that maybe a nice strong Alpha with a thick knot would be just the thing, the accompanying drama, bravado, and alpha-bullshit seemed too much to put up with for a few days of short relief twice a year. 

So knotting wasn’t something with which Rey had had much experience.

Until Ben. 

This giant of an Alpha had burst into her life and her shop one Saturday afternoon, flustered and impatient, laptop in hand, and he had smelled… just _right_.

Like no-one ever had before. 

Like sunshine peeking through a quiet cedar grove, tea on a cozy rug beside a log fire, the first snow of the season. Like passion and heat, safety and comfort, all rolled into one person. 

And when Ben had taken no more than two steps into the shop entrance, he’d looked like he’d stumbled upon a real-life fairy, so astonished had he appeared at first, mouth gaping, breathing deeply, eyes wide. A few tense and charged moments passed before he was able to haltingly explain his problem. 

So with the feel of his heated eyes on the back of her neck and his scent slowly swelling and dancing throughout the room, Rey had ignored her rising blush and painstakingly repaired his malfunctioning computer, saved his precious list of figures and somehow, found herself breaking her rule and agreeing to a date—with an Alpha. 

One date turned into two. Two into three. And three, into a mind-blowing and world-changing introduction to his knot. 

So she had quickly become very familiar with all things Alpha. Or at least, all things Ben.

And now, three months later, here she was. Stuck to him. On him. On his knot. Again.

And surprisingly, amazingly, Rey didn’t even want to move. A steadily growing part of her was enjoying this. Enjoying the soothing scent of Alpha all around her, under her, inside her. Enjoying the slow rumble of Ben’s contended hum reverberating through his chest against her cheek. 

What was wrong with her? Was she becoming another stereotypical Omega, overwhelmed by Alpha pheromones despite her previous better-judgment? Had she finally succumbed to societal pressure about the expectations for Omegas of child-bearing years? Or had the years of tinkering with technology and old cars and inhaling exhaust fumes damaged her brain?

She didn’t _think_ so. But would she even be able to tell?

The more she was with Ben, the more she grew to love being around him, however resistant and unsure she had been at first. Strange. Maybe she was becoming addicted to him, to his scent, to his knot. Rey waited for the signs of an itchy need to flee from that thought, but surprisingly...she didn’t feel it. 

Judging by the bright light and sounds of cars and activity outside the building, she guessed it was mid-morning—the people on the street already halfway through their Sunday. But safe inside Ben’s apartment, focused on each other, the morning had passed them by.

Rey sighed, rubbing her head on Ben’s hard chest. Snuggling down into arms locked around her, his knot equally locked inside. She allowed her eyes to close again and her mind to drift off into a daydream. Yes, this was quite... pleasant. 

A sudden buzzing from the bedside table disturbed her languid thoughts. 

Rey jerked, jostling Ben in turn. The buzzing came again, this time with a jaunty mechanical ringtone, surprisingly cheery and not at all what she’d expect Ben to have on his phone.

“Just ignore it. It’ll stop in a sec,” he murmured, nuzzling her hair softly. 

Rey tried to do just that. She closed her eyes and breathed him in, feeling every calming breath spread like honey, relaxing her limbs. Revelling in the bone-deep softness and the comfortably full feeling of his knot throbbing inside her. 

But the phone kept ringing. 

And ringing, getting louder and more irritating as it continued—its noise piercing like a drill made of chimes tunnelling through her brain. 

“Ben, can you just mute it or something, please?” Rey grumbled against his skin. The buzzing was becoming quite frantic. It seemed like at any moment the phone would vibrate right off the edge. 

Ben squinted over to his phone and reached out an arm, before grunting in displeasure. 

“Too far. Okay, let me just...” 

Ben wormed his hands under Rey’s shoulders and, holding on to her tightly, carefully rolled them over, so he rested on top of her and was a foot closer to the bedside table. Lifting himself up on his arms, he leaned over and quickly nabbed the phone with his free hand, Rey hissing as his knot tugged at her insides with the movement. 

Ben fiddled with the phone, one large thumb swiping. From her close vantage point, it looked comically small in his baseball glove of a hand. 

“You got it?” Rey inquired, bemused. 

“Yeah, just a sec,” he said, lowering himself to rest on his elbows, using both hands to hold the phone just to the side of Rey’s face, tongue poking out from between his pressed lips as he looked down at the screen, phone persistently ringing all the while. 

“Of course it’s her,” he muttered under his breath. “Always the worst timing.”

Making an exaggerated movement with his thumb, he swiped again. And then again, looking frustrated. 

“Fucking—can’t...”

Rey snorted. He was adorable. It was a wonder he even had a phone at all. 

Eventually, the noise stopped. They both sighed with relief.

“Sorry. I still can’t get used to this stupid little—”

A slightly muffled noise interrupted Ben, emerging from the phone still clutched in his mammoth hand. 

It was a woman’s voice. 

“ _Ben? Hello?_ ”

A prickle of shock flashed through Rey. There was no need to guess who it was. Her distinctive voice piped through the room, rudely popping the bubble of restful peace they’d been enjoying.

Leia Organa-Solo; CEO of Organa Publishers. A real _mother_ of an Alpha. But worst of all—the _actual_ mother of the Alpha currently on top of Rey, knot-deep inside her. 

“You answered the phone—to your _mother_? Right now?!” Rey whispered, panicking. As much as she admired her, this was hardly the time Rey’d hoped to hear from her. 

She clutched at the sheet to the side of Ben, frantically attempting to cover him and herself, as though Leia could somehow see them in all their naked and knotted glory. It wasn’t a video call, was it? Rey covered her chest with her arms, just in case. 

“Fuck. I didn’t mean to!” Ben blurted. 

“ _Hello? Ben? Can you hear me?_ ”

“I’ll just hang up,” Ben said, determined, forgetting that he was holding the phone just below his mouth. 

“ _Ben—don’t hang up!_ ” Leia’s voice blared from the phone. 

Ben grimaced and Rey’s eyes widened further. “I’ll just say I can’t talk now and I’ll call her back,” he whispered, or at least attempted to whisper. Ben was one of those men whose voice was so deep and resonant that he seriously struggled with lowering the volume to a whisper. It was always still too loud. 

As it was in this case. 

“ _Wait! I need to talk to you quickly. And are you there with your lovely Rey?”_

_Shit._

Rey cringed. “It’s too late now,” she murmured to Ben, shaking her head. It felt wrong to hang up on the renowned Alpha, awkward as the timing was. 

“Sorry,” Ben mouthed, before sighing and holding the phone up to his ear. 

“Hey, Mom,” he said, resigned. 

“ _Ben! How are you, dear?_ ” Leia’s voice was loud enough that Rey could still easily hear her, despite the small device being pressed against Ben’s ear and its surrounding mane of tousled hair. “ _How’s that Omega of yours?_ ” 

Ah. Rey blushed and glanced back down, avoiding Ben’s eyes. That was a sensitive topic. One they’d never spoken about directly, although Rey couldn’t help the feeling that Ben perhaps wanted to. 

He’d only once called her _mine_ , a few weeks ago, drowsy after knotting, words murmured against her neck, mouth flirting with her gland. It had shocked Rey, but what alarmed her more was the feeling that raced through her chest; something strong and hot and sweet—and altogether quite overwhelming. Something she’d never felt before. 

And all of a sudden, it was too much—she didn’t like it—she hadn’t signed up for that. She was somehow afraid. All her instincts were warring against each other; wanting to stay, wanting to go. 

But the moment hadn’t lasted, as Rey couldn’t stop herself from stiffening and pulling back slightly, uncertain how to respond, feeling a squirmy sort of feeling, heart beating harder. 

Ben had obviously noticed—it’d be hard not to—not when she’d been so soft and cuddled up to him, then suddenly so still and silent. He’d quickly apologised and clumsily changed the topic, redirecting her attention before she could wallow in it. 

Since then Ben had never called her anything possessive-sounding and apart from an intense interest—no, _obsession_ with her glands, he’d never given her any other hints that he wanted to. So it was probably just an instinctual reaction to her scent and their position—what he’d said. He’d been more in control lately.

And of course, this was one thing she had never expected; Ben making small talk with his mother while intimately locked with Rey. And he still had another ten minutes or so to go, judging by past instances. Although if this didn’t make his knot go down faster, she didn’t know what would. 

“Uh, she’s not—” Ben started, looking down at Rey, before sighing and looking away. “We’re fine, thanks—but I can’t talk for long, sorry. We’re a bit tied u—uh, bit busy right now.” 

Rey coughed, eyes bulging at the inadvertent but apt pun, as Ben winced above her. 

He valiantly continued, “We’re—we’re just heading out now. To go...out for breakfast. Or um, brunch,” he added, clearing his throat after glancing at his clock on the bedside table. 

“ _Oh, that’s nice, darling! Where are you going? You should go to Gino’s. Have you been there recently? They’ve updated their menu and it’s_ divine _. I’ll give them a call and tell them you’re coming—_ ”

“Mom, no! We’re—going somewhere else.” 

“ _Fine, but there’s no need to snap at me, Benjamin!_ ”

Ben’s sigh was even louder than before, his eyes raised to the ceiling as though praying for strength. Rey could do with some too, especially if she was going to be stuck here witnessing this conversation. 

“Sorry, Mom,” he gritted out slowly. “What was it you wanted?”

“ _Oh right. Well, as you know it’s Han’s seventieth birthday in a few weeks and I thought it would be nice to do something—maybe have a little party with all our friends at home. Something informal and relaxed, like a lunch maybe. You and Rey both must come, of course—I’d love to finally meet her again officially!”_

At this, Rey felt herself still, biting her lip as her mind raced with the thought. The only time she’d met Leia was six months ago at a cocktail function for Poe’s work, to which she’d been dragged along by Finn to keep him company while Poe schmoozed the big wigs. Leia had been a friendly if slightly daunting Alpha to meet, a contradiction to the stereotypical physical Alpha traits one would expect; small and petite with grey braids twisted regally atop her head. However, she lived up to her reputation as fiercely intelligent with a quiet strength that was apparent in her dignified bearing. 

She had hugged Rey tightly, her firm grip combining with a subtle and comforting scent of Alpha. A smell that had reappeared slightly when she’d first met Ben, but blended with different accents into a stronger and more potent mix. Rey had puzzled over the vague note of familiarity. It was only weeks later that it suddenly made sense when it turned out that Ben’s mother was also Poe’s idolised boss. 

Leia continued chattering away to Ben above her. _“I’m inviting some people from work too—you know Poe and Rose. And I heard that Poe’s partner is Rey’s best friend? Such a wonderful coincidence. I’ll tell Poe to invite him too. The more the merrier! So you’ll make sure Rey will come, won’t you?_ ”

Ben looked down at Rey, raising his eyebrows in question. Swallowing, she shrugged and nodded, feeling herself relax more. If Finn and Poe were there, at least it would take some of the focus off Rey and dilute the attention, hopefully. 

“Sure, Mom,” Ben answered quickly, eager to end the conversation, as was Rey, squirming slightly under him, thighs spread around the tree-trunk of a man still between them. 

“ _Excellent! I’ll send you the details,_ ” Leia said, happily. “ _Also, while I’ve got you on the phone—how are things going with Rey? I know you’ve wanted to keep things just between the two of you for a bit, but I have a good feeling about her. And I can tell that you’re happy just from hearing your voice. I’ll admit I do have hopes that she’ll be the one you mate! She seems just lovely.”_

“Mom—” Ben interjected, eyes wide and flashing down at Rey.

Rey, who had been staring up at him, admiring his temptingly plump bottom lip and debating whether to lean up and take it between her teeth, blinked and quickly looked away, forcing her face to relax and appear somewhat neutral, ignoring the way her heart started racing in her chest and heat wound its way up her neck. 

She didn’t hear that. Nope, no idea what was being said on the other side of the phone. 

She’d never imagined she’d _m-word_ anyone. She wasn't sure she wanted to do that. It was just… a big thing. 

_Forever_. 

Plus she hadn’t ever considered that she and Ben... were headed that direction yet. 

No, not _yet_ —at all. Not at all. Definitely not. 

Ben glanced down to Rey quickly, cheeks pink, before turning his head, as though he could shield her from the conversation still ongoing just above her. 

Good luck with that, Rey thought, almost hysterically. 

Bit difficult while they were fucking _stuck_ together. Or to be more accurate—stuck _fucking_ together, she mentally corrected. 

“ _I’m just saying,”_ Leia persisted, _“I’d like some grandchildren while I’m still young enough to enjoy them. My friend’s got three and always goes on and on about them—it’s quite insufferable; she’s constantly showing me their pictures. Between you and me, they’re a bit weird-looking. Although I must admit,_ you _were a bit strange when you were first born—those_ ears _, but you’ve grown into them_ —” 

“Mom, stop!” Ben huffed and rolled his eyes, apparently used to his mother’s descriptions, even as his flush crawled up his neck and up to the tips of his adorable, but undeniably pokey-out ears. 

Rey felt torn between drowning in the uncomfortableness of the conversation and bursting into laughter. She desperately held back a snort, baffled at the absurd situation in which she found herself.

Leia resumed her monologue, immune to her son’s pleading. 

“ _Now I know_ your _babies would be just adorable and perfect. Plus I always find there’s something about a big strong Alpha—like you—holding a baby. You’d look_ so _good with a chubby baby in your arms, Ben!_ ” 

Rey froze and swallowed down the nervous giggle that had been building in her throat. At that moment, for some reason, which she resolutely refused to consider, she couldn’t help but feel an unmistakably strong twitch of Ben’s knot, reminding her of its job plugging up all his potent Alpha seed deep inside. 

An image darted through her mind of a tiny hand wrapped around one large finger. It came with a surge in Ben’s scent, delicious and smooth, warming her all the way through. _He would give me strong babies,_ her mind purred, before she shut it down with a jolt. 

What the hell was _that_? She thanked all the gods above that she was on the joint suppressant/contraceptive shot. She was _not_ ready to think about _that_ , either. 

“Mom!” Ben repeated, glancing down at Rey with an unnameable look of his own. 

“ _Okay, I’ll stop. But also, I don’t mind if you’re not married or mated either before having children. I’m not that traditional and your father wouldn’t care either, Ben. And sometimes you just have to listen to what your instincts tell you. You know, when I met your father, he was a real scoundrel himself, really_ wild—”

“God, Mom—that’s enough!” Ben protested, looking revolted, his face scrunched up in disgust. 

A combination of a gasp and a snort finally escaped Rey. She didn’t know what to expect next with this conversation. 

“ _Okay, honey. Well, say_ hi _to Rey for me, okay_?”

“Fine, I will,” Ben said, begrudgingly. 

“ _Alright, I’ll leave you two to it then._ ” 

Rey coughed at Leia’s unlucky choice of phrasing, while Ben closed his eyes as though in pain. 

“Thanks, Mom—bye!” 

“ _Love you! Bye darling—talk to you s_ —” 

With a determined and careful swipe, Ben finally ended the call, before chucking it across the bed as though he couldn’t bear to see it any longer. 

Silence filled the room. 

“So… um. Yeah. Sorry about that,” he muttered, cringing and resting his head down onto her shoulder. “That was awkward.” 

“Ha. Yeah,” Rey smiled weakly. “Well, at least it was only on the phone. God, imagine if someone…” she shuddered, not even able to complete the thought. “That’d be awful, wouldn’t it!”

Ben stared blankly off into the distance, no doubt the same horrifying thoughts passing through his mind, his scent strangely rising again. 

“Yeah, that would be—” he paused, finger rubbing rhythmically over her neck. 

Rey nudged him with her hand on his chin. “Ben?” 

“Hmm?”

Rey huffed. He must be in shock from that traumatic experience—she couldn't blame him. 

A twinge in her muscles alerted her to the fact that her thighs had had enough of being splayed open with Ben’s considerable weight resting on them. Now that the stress of the phone call was over, her legs were suddenly smarting with pain. 

“Um, can we… you’re getting a bit heavy—” She pushed slightly at his shoulders. 

“Oh, sorry—of course.” Ben held on tightly to Rey and slowly rolled them over again. Rey couldn’t help a pained groan as his knot tugged again on her tender skin. It hadn’t seemed to have gone anywhere yet, surprisingly. 

Ben positioned her back on top of him, her head resting down on his chest. 

“Are you okay? I hope you’re not too sore.” He tilted his chin to softly kiss the top of her head. “I probably shouldn’t have knotted you this morning again, not after last night. I just couldn’t help it,” he murmured, rubbing gently at the scent gland on her neck with his thumb, causing Rey’s eyes to shut automatically and her toes to curl. 

“I didn’t mind. I like it when you get a little wild…”

Ben hummed, playing with a curl of her hair, before he paused and made a strange sound. Rey opened her eyes and looked up at Ben. 

_Why was he—?_ _Oh._

“Sorry,” Rey grimaced. “I didn’t mean to—”

“Yeah, too soon. I do _not_ want to think of my mom and dad…” Ben shuddered. 

And with that thought, of whatever Rey was happy to not be witness to in Ben’s mind, she felt the softening of his knot, as it finally unlocked within her.

“Well, that’ll finally do it,” Ben groaned. Rey slowly disentangled herself and rolled off him to rest on her back, pulling a face at the puddle of slick and cum seeping out of her. That was one thing she didn’t think she’d ever get used to—the _quantity_ they both produced when they were together.

As Ben ran a hand through his thick hair, one dark brown strand sticking out at an angle, she couldn’t help but wonder how he could still look so endearingly attractive while she no doubt resembled something that had crawled out of the swamp.

Ben sighed, wiping a hand over his face. “Ugh, I can’t stop thinking about it—it’d be almost enough to stop me doing that again. I’d hate it if my parents ruined this for me.”

“What—Ben Solo, unable or unwilling to knot?” Rey raised an eyebrow. 

He let out a snort, eyes smiling down at her. “Of course, what am I saying? An impossible suggestion—at least, not while you’re around. And always smelling so _delicious_. I can’t keep my hands off you and my knot out of you.” 

Which seemed to be true. Since they’d started dating, or _whatever_ it was they were doing, it seemed like sex was never complete if they didn’t end up caught together, Ben’s thick knot wedged inside. 

And the scary thing was, she didn't mind at all. In fact, Rey was all for it. 

She felt a shiver of lightness spread through her chest, mouth twitching in a smile as she got lost in Ben’s crooked grin. After a minute she turned away, overwhelmed by his intense stare, eyes molten and locked with hers. 

To feel more at ease on stable ground, she returned to the previous topic at hand; “Well, let’s try to forget about what happened today. It was just unlucky timing—hopefully that’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience!" Rey said, trying to be positive. 

And in the end it hadn't been too bad; they had gotten through it mostly unscathed and with their dignity intact. She couldn’t imagine how she’d handle it if they’d been interrupted _in person_. 

As Ben drew her over to nestle back against his chest, she cuddled close and smoothed a hand over his arm, their mixed scent working its magic like a tranquilliser dart to her muscles. 

Yes, today was just an unfortunate incident. 

It wouldn't happen again. 

(It did). 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was partly inspired by the fic- 'Knot Again' by prettylittlementirosa - a Teen Wolf Sterek fic. I read it quite a few years ago and thought it was a hilarious idea. I wanted to try a similar thing with Reylo, but go in a different direction. I've also borrowed a bit from the standard '5+1 times' trope style. :)


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uhh, I can't believe I wrote this. 
> 
> Please forgive me for this trash!

2\. 

The second time could all be blamed on the poor delivery standards of the postal service. It was their fault—not Rey's. 

————--

  
  


Rey could never get over the stupid shit people did to their computers. Dropping a can of beer on it, or worse, milk. Installing every ‘security’ software they came across. Clicking on a pop-up that says ‘You hAve a ViRuS—Click Here To Remove It!’

Dumbasses, the lot of them. But at least the stupidity of people kept her employed; she never had to worry about her prospects when there was always work fixing up other people’s idiotic mistakes.

She frowned as she looked over at her most pressing job to finish. She’d done all she could, but there was a limit to what she could fix when some dumb Alpha had put his mind to stuffing it up. The final thing she wanted to try was to update the RAM. Hopefully the new part would arrive soon, as she’d promised the client it wouldn’t be much longer.

All she had to do now was wait. And she’d been waiting long enough—it’d already been two days since it was due to arrive. 

Rey was focused on sending off a few last emails for the day, when the doorbell at the front door chimed, interrupting her thoughts, as someone entered the shop. She glanced up at her laptop clock—5:55 pm. It was a bit late for new customers this close to her closing time. 

Before she had time to shut her screen, a familiar and delectably rich scent reached her, wrapping her up in a heady embrace. There was only one person that belonged to—no one else caused such an automatic reaction in her. One sniff and goodbye dry underwear. 

“Ben!” She turned to the front of her shop, surprised. “What are you doing here? I thought you said you had a meeting every night this week?”

In a few quick paces, Ben wrapped her up in his arms, pulling her out of her chair and tight against his large frame. His mouth and nose unerringly found its favorite place at the nape of her neck and on her gland, as he breathed deeply for a moment. 

“I did,” he murmured, mouth tickling the base of her hairline. “But we had to finish early as Ackbar’s grandkids were in some kind of concert he had to go to.” His mouth found hers, pressing firmly in a kiss for one long moment, before moving under her ear, hands encircling her waist. “I’ve never been so glad to be interrupted by his PA in my life.” 

Rey laughed lightly, feeling her muscles relax in a way that had her wondering how tense she’d been carrying herself. Must be from sitting too long, she guessed. 

“So, d'you have a good day?” Ben asked, moving back to frame her face with his hands, eyes meeting hers curiously. 

“It’s been alright. I had a few things to work on. I’ve got this one difficult job to do that’s taken a while. But I’ll hopefully be able to finish it and get it back to the numbskull Alpha as soon as I get a part delivered,” Rey said, relishing the moment when she would be done with that client.

“Well, Alphas _are_ the bane of your existence,” he said, smirking.

“They are the ones who think they know _everything_ and only when they’ve completely messed things up, do they reluctantly ask for help,” Rey said, one eyebrow raised. “Not unlike one Alpha I know.” 

Ben smiled wryly back at her. “Well, it was my opinion that it would have been _more_ of an embarrassment to _not_ at least try a few things first, before admitting defeat.” 

Rey laughed, remembering the hopeless condition of Ben’s laptop the day they met. She was a bit of a genius with computers, if she did say so herself. 

“So, uh, you were just popping by, then?” 

“Hmm? Yeah,” Ben nodded, eyes mapping her face leisurely. “But I’d hoped I could take you to dinner.” 

“Oh, sure. That’d be great!” Rey’s stomach gurgled in anticipation. She hadn’t thought much about dinner yet, but it would most likely have been beans on toast. _Very_ fancy. But maybe now Ben was here they’d go to their usual pizza place or favorite Thai restaurant. Or they hadn’t been to that new dumpling place yet. That sounded amazing. 

“Let me just close up quickly and then we can go.” Rey disentangled herself and skipped down to the front of the shop, closing the blinds, disabling the doorbell and then locking the door. 

No sooner had she twisted the lock, then she felt Ben’s enormous frame plastered against her back, his hands snaking around her waist and under her top. 

God, she could never get over his size. One massive hand easily spanned her entire belly, fingers reaching up to just below her breastbone and down to the edge of the waistband of her jeans. Unf. 

“Actually… we don’t have to go right this instant,” Ben whispered, fingers dipping further down to the button at the top of her jeans and casually popping it out of its hole. 

“I’ve missed seeing you these last few days,” he continued, nuzzling her neck as one hand slid further down, the other gliding up to her chest, gently cupping one small breast over her bra. 

A lick of heat flared through Rey’s body. It had been a while. She wouldn’t have minded seeing him earlier in the week either, if only their clashing work and social plans hadn’t gotten in the way. 

“And not just for the sex.” 

Rey held her breath, unsure how to respond to that comment, content to just let Ben continue to cover her neck and collarbone with drugging kisses, mouth nipping dangerously near her gland. Shivers raced up her spine. 

“I missed _you_ ,” he whispered against her neck, slowly turning her head towards his, eyes dark and staring. 

Rey swallowed, suddenly desperate to divert him away from the confusing direction he’d started to take. 

“Well, are you going to prove it, then?” she breathed, forcing herself to sound confident and sure. “Or are you just all talk?” she teased, pushing her hips firmly back onto his, feeling the hint of a deliciously hard ridge beneath his pants. As they spoke, his scent had slowly been rising and making her dizzy with need. And her need at the moment was for him to stop talking about things that sounded suspiciously like _feelings_ and just fuck her already. 

Ben grinned and raised an eyebrow. “Oh, you know I’m not. But that’s how you want this to go, huh, Rey?" He growled into her ear, deep voice setting off another surge of wetness in her underwear. 

Rey tried not to smile as she gasped and nodded, feeling a part of her purring in excitement. 

Ben grabbed her hips in both hands and pulled her up and back against him tightly. “Fine. Let me prove it to you.”

  
  


————--

  
  


Which is how Rey found herself some time later, collapsed face down on her front store counter, gasping and twitching all over, as Ben continued to release inside her, knot plugging her up once more. 

As far as redirections go, that was pretty successful, Rey judged. And certainly satisfactory. 

She’d never thought this would happen when she woke up this morning, but she wasn’t going to complain. She’d had quite a few daydreams about this very situation since she’d met Ben months ago. But this had gone beyond what she’d ever imagined in those idle moments; something she’d itched for, but never been game enough to suggest. 

She couldn’t get over how perfect this felt. How perfect _he_ felt. Why couldn’t she just stay like this forever? 

That’s it, she thought happily to herself, allowing the daydream to continue. She’s quitting her job and just living permanently attached to Ben. That would be fine, right? 

Rey imagined the conversation with her landlord and business partner:

_I’m sorry Maz, I’ve decided to resign from my position. Why? So I can live on Ben’s cock. Yes, that’s right. Unless you were fine with me continuing to work while attached at the knot? No? Pity._

Ben rested his head on the back of her neck, breathing deeply and mouth nipping at the shell of her ear.

“So? Did I prove it well enough?” he murmured, rubbing her bare hips and ass with his giant hands before squeezing gently. 

“Mmhm. Yep. I think I got the message.” Rey groaned, eyes closed in bliss. 

“What—this message?” He thrust once more to illustrate his point. Not that he could get any deeper, locked inside as he was. 

“ _Ah_ _uh_ , yep. That one.” Rey forced out, laughing weakly. She sighed as she looked around her workspace. “I will definitely be thinking of this when I’m standing here tomorrow.“

“Good,” Ben rumbled, sounding supremely satisfied. “I’ve wanted to do that since the very first second I saw you, standing here that day.” He kissed her shoulder lightly. “And I’m always thinking of you. Time to turn the tables for once.” 

Rey felt her breath catch at his comment. Should she admit that she actually _did_ think of him often throughout the day? When she woke up and glanced at her phone; when she used his fancy and smooth coffee he bought her for the shop; whenever she glimpsed any tall dark-haired man passing by, hope lifting for a precious second before her brain caught up.

In the end, the moment passed and Ben said no more, appearing content to rest there with her. Rey lay bent over the counter for a few minutes longer, Ben smoothing his hands over her belly and under her shirt, until the sharp edge of the work counter became something she could no longer ignore, digging into her thighs and her belly. 

“Ugh, okay, we have to move.”

Using the counter to lean on was a fun idea at first and adequately comfortable in the moment, but was a killer long-term. Another useful lesson learnt.

Just as they started to straighten up and stretch out their aching limbs, they heard the thunderous purring of a truck engine and a door slamming closed outside, before a second later an abrupt rapping sounded on the door at the front of the shop.

Rey jolted upwards, almost clipping her shoulder into Ben’s nose.

“You’re closed, right? You locked the door?” Ben asked sharply, gripping Rey roughly around the waist.

“Of course I did.” Rey protested. 

The knock came again, a thudding that rattled the door frame and the closed blinds covering the windows.

“Hello? Anyone still here? I 'got a delivery!” The man’s voice was faint but could still be heard clearly through the door. 

Rey paused, mouth opened in thought. A delivery right now? It took a moment before she realised. 

“Oh, that’d be the part I’m waiting for,” she said, relieved. “It’s taken them long enough—wait just a minute!” Rey yelled towards the front of the shop as she pushed back off the counter. 

Ben seized her arms, frowning down at her. “You can’t get it now, Rey. I’ve only just knotted.” 

Goddammit. The timing was just her luck. 

“Well, think of.. your parents,” Rey suggested. “That did the trick last time.” 

Ben grimaced. “Ugh… okay, fine.”

He screwed up his face, eyes closed, lips pressed tightly together in distaste, presumably running through a mental list of images designed to deflate. 

“Just wait a second!” Rey yelled again, as another knock battered the door. 

Glancing back over her shoulder, she could feel no changes in Ben’s girth and knot down below. “Anything happening?” she whispered impatiently.

“I’m _trying_. It’s not working...” 

“Why not?”

“I don’t know why! I’m thinking of everything horrible, but I’m still…,” Ben gritted his teeth and shook his head.

“Ugh, fine,” Rey muttered before turning her head back around. “Can you just leave it by the door, please?” Rey called out, hands cupping around her mouth to aid in projecting to the front of the shop. 

Silence. Until a few seconds later, came a muffled reply. 

“I need a signature!” 

Shit. Rey’s heart sank. Well, that was that. She’d have to deal with delaying the client another few days. There’s no way she could get the delivery. 

Not now. 

Not unless… 

Like the unexpected blooming of a flower overnight, an idea grew in Rey’s mind, one that was as straightforward as it was shocking. It was simple. But could she even dare...

She felt a spark of some unnameable and overwhelming feeling flicker through her with the audacious thought, even as her face flushed and her heart began to thump harder in her chest. 

Emboldened by the ticking clock and rumble of the engine outside, Rey made up her mind, hardly believing that she was even considering it. Maybe… they could do it. 

Rey looked back up at Ben over her shoulder, resolute. “I don’t have time to go pick it up from the depot—it’s over an hour away and I needed it yesterday.” 

Plus it would be such an annoyance, having waited for the part for days and then having it within metres of her only to have to chase after it again. _Too_ much of an annoyance. And she couldn’t bear having to tell that stupid Alpha it would be delayed even further. 

No, she couldn’t bear it. This was her only choice. 

“So, please, can we just… go and get it?” 

Ben’s mouth fell open. “Your pants are halfway down your thighs! And have you forgotten the fact that I’m still stuck inside you?” 

“Of course I haven’t!” Rey exclaimed. “I just—I won’t open the door all the way—you can hide behind me and I’ll—I’ll pull down my shirt and also try to only show my face. _Please_.” She twisted around as far as she could to better look up at him and show him her best pleading face. 

Ben frowned, eyes flashing as he stared down at the door, then up to Rey again, fingers digging in tightly at her hips. She’d surely end up with bruises after this. A small rumbling sound was emanating from his chest, which cut off when he swallowed. 

“I don’t know...” 

Rey turned back around, releasing a breath. Well, it was worth a shot. 

“Nevermind, Ben. It’s no problem. It was just a silly idea.” 

Ben sighed loudly, running a hand through his hair. “Wait, Rey. It’s fine. I can’t fucking believe this, but sure.” 

Oh God. Rey wasn’t sure Ben would actually go along with it. But now that he had, she felt like her stomach jumped into her throat. They were actually going to do this. _Fuck._

“Let’s get this over with,” Ben said, shaking his head with a laugh. 

Leaning down, he wrapped his arms tightly around her and pulled them both upright and off the counter. Bending his knees so he wasn't lifting Rey up onto her toes with his cock, his own pants hanging slightly below his butt, he hesitantly nudged her forwards to start walking. Then they clumsily waddled towards the door, like some strange four-legged creature, Ben groaning and Rey gasping every few steps. 

They’d never had to walk this far while knotted. It was quite an interesting sensation, with her skin around his knot tugging and straining with every movement and Ben’s cock poking and nudging her insides with every step. 

The delivery driver must have been getting impatient, as the knocking intensified once more.

“I’m coming!” Rey called out, exasperated. 

Ben sorted. “Again?” 

“Oh, ha _ha_.” Rey rolled her eyes. Such a wise guy. 

As they finally reached the door, Rey paused to pull her jeans and underwear up as high as they’d go on her hips. It was, as could be expected, quite difficult—with Ben still wedged inside her, forcing her pelvis to tilt backwards onto him. 

When she’d done all she could, there was still a strip of her soft skin and neatly trimmed curls displayed in the gap between her shirt and the top of her jeans. Which was somewhat ridiculous as that was the most important part, really. So that needed covering, just in case.

She looked back over at Ben, biting her lip. Ben appeared to be having an intense headache, the way he was rubbing his head and frowning deeply, muttering something under his breath. 

No time for that now. She needed to do this. 

“Ben, give me your shirt,” she whispered. 

“Huh?” 

“Your shirt— give it to me! Hurry!” 

Ben didn’t protest, thankfully, and quickly unbuttoned the first few buttons before giving up and pulling it over his head. Halfway through, head still stuck inside, he paused and swore. 

“My cuffs.”

“Jesus Christ, Ben.” Rey twisted her back as much as she could, muscles tensing with the effort and fumbled with finding the last buttons at his wrists. 

She really should have signed up to that pilates course she saw advertised at the gym. Being more limber and flexible would have come in handy for times like this. 

Arms finally free, he wrenched the shirt off and shoved it at Rey, who hastily dove inside it, pulling her arms through and letting it hang down over her black work shirt to her mid-thigh and crucially, over the scandalously exposed strip of skin. As she felt the light and comforting fabric settle over her shoulders, enveloping her in Ben's scent, she breathed out in relief, feeling suddenly soothed. It would all be fine. What was she worrying for? 

“That covers everything up,” she attempted to reassure herself and Ben, hardly noticing anymore the other part of her mind that had previously been babbling in incoherent dismay. 

Content with what she had achieved, she glanced back at Ben, his thick biceps and arms revealed in his white tank-- _Good Lord_ he was hot—who seemed transfixed staring down at _her_. 

“Actually, you know what, Rey, I’ll just call out that we’re knotted and see if he’ll make an exception and just leave it on the floor,” Ben said firmly. 

What the fuck? Was he _insane_? 

“What? _No_! Don’t tell him!” Rey urged, alarmed. She probably didn’t know the delivery guy, but no way could she tell someone she was _knotted_. She felt herself both flush and clench around him at the thought. 

“So you’d rather talk to him _face-to-face_ while stuck on my knot?” Ben asked, raising his eyebrows.

Rey spluttered. “Well, if I’m careful he won’t even know—and I need this delivery _now_. Plus what if he says he still needs a signature and I have to sign for it anyway? Then I’d have to face him, still knotted and knowing he _knew_ we were knotted.”

Ben groaned, before shrugging. “Fine.” 

“It’ll just take a sec,” Rey assured him, turning around, before she thought of something else and twisted her face back again. “And be _quiet_ —no funny business,” she added sternly, unsure of what he could get up to but not willing to take the risk. 

“You’re saying that to _me_?” Ben asked, eyes wide. What cheek. 

Rey ignored him and grabbed Ben’s hips from behind, oriented their bodies to the side and in a right angle to the door, forcing Ben to shuffle with her. Taking a deep breath once more, she warily unlocked and then opened the door a fraction. Tilting her head sideways, she poked her face between the narrow gap so she could peer outside, heart beating rapidly all the while and ignoring the swollen and full feeling in her still stuffed and throbbing cunt. 

There was a stocky blond man dressed in a blue polo top and khaki shorts, embroidered name on his pocket proclaiming ‘Steve’, arms crossed and looking away down the street. Hearing the door opening, he turned quickly to face her, Rey subtly inhaling as he stepped closer. 

He was a Beta, thank God. So there was very little chance he could identify the overpowering scents of sex, cum, and pheromones, which were no doubt wafting his way. 

Behind the door, Ben pulled her back tighter against him, huffing. 

Uh oh. Better make this quick. 

“Hi,” Rey said, attempting to be cheerful, as though having a conversation through a crack in the door while someone else’s cock was inside her was a normal occurrence.

Steve eyed Rey and smiled back, uncertainly. 

“Hey. Uh, can… you sign this please?” Steve held out the small electronic machine.

Rey carefully opened the door wider and leaning over sideways, inelegantly rearranged her arm to snake it through the gap. 

Ben didn’t make it easy, however, as he continued to wrap his arms tighter around her, jostling her slightly and causing Rey’s elbow to bang into the door frame as she manoeuvred it. 

“Ow!” 

_Shit._

Steve blinked, looking down at Rey’s arm and what could be seen of her eyes and face. 

“Uh... are you okay?”

Rey froze, heart beating faster in her chest. Stay cool, she reminded herself. Nothing to see here. 

“Oh yeah, I’m fine, thanks,” she said, chuckling stiffly. “All good!” 

Rey pasted a smile on her face and awkwardly reached for the attached pen, scrawling an illegible approximation of her signature on the machine that Steve held out to her. 

Ben took that moment to squeeze her waist and rub his face on the top of her shoulder. She could feel herself twitching around the thickness of Ben’s cock still wedged inside her, causing a new round of shivers to prickle up her spine. 

Rey jerked her head. “Stop!” she hissed with her head turned slightly. God, this was such a surreal experience. 

Steve looked confused. Rey cursed inwardly and blushed further. 

“Ah—nothing. Sorry. There you go!” She said brightly as she handed the pen back to him. 

After quickly attaching the machine back to his belt, Steve bent down to grab the parcel off the floor, glancing up at her again and the door. 

“So uh, do you need any… help?” He squinted slightly as he looked up at Rey and then down to the package.

Right. Rey could see the problem. Although the box wasn’t overly large, it was still slightly wider than the gap through which she was currently peering, being only the width of her arm. 

Rey gritted her teeth, determined. There was nothing for it. She’d come this far. 

She shuffled back slightly and opened the door a fraction wider, bending forward at the waist and nudging Ben further back with her hips. 

Trying to avoid nudging the door open any wider, she reached out, turning almost sideways with her shoulder outside the door and almost parallel to the floor, and finally grabbed the box with one hand before gracelessly twisting it through the narrow crack, angling it to fit.

“No, I’m…. all good… thanks!” She said haltingly, as she worked it through the gap. 

“Okay…”

Behind her, Rey could feel Ben fidgeting, before he muttered, “That’s enough,” and winding his arms around her stomach, he pulled Rey and himself back roughly. She only had a second’s warning to tilt the box upwards, call out her thanks and jerk inside before the door was slammed in Steve’s surprised face. 

“Ben!”

He pushed her firmly against the closed door and rested his hard body against hers securely, head on her neck and gland and hands reaching for her hands, forcing her to drop the precious package at their feet. Rey blinked as she stared at the dark grain of the oak door, thoughts whirling through her head.

“He was looking at you too much,” Ben grunted roughly against her ear.

“What? No, he wasn’t!” Rey protested. “And how could you see his face, anyway? He didn’t see you, did he?” she asked, blinking back up at him. 

“No—but maybe he should have,” Ben said darkly. “Then he’d stop staring at you. If he’d been an Alpha he’d have gotten the picture faster.” 

“I’m _so_ glad he wasn’t an Alpha!" Rey sighed in relief. "And if he was staring at me strangely, it was only because of you and the situation _you_ put us in!”

“ _Me_?” Ben paused.

She could just _hear_ the look on his face, it was so loud. 

“Yes—you were the one who insisted on knotting me.”

“Oh, really? So I was just imagining it earlier when I swore I heard you gasping, ‘Knot me, Ben!’, over and over?” 

“Well, you— you… oh, shut up.” Rey grumbled. If anything, it was a mutual thing, so she was half right. And technically, it was his knot. 

Ben laughed against her neck and held her tighter, carefully turning and pulling them down to sit leaning against the door. Rey sat on his lap, wincing as she felt his cock prodding at even deeper places inside her. His knot was still holding strong, surprisingly. 

She rested her head back against his, savouring the quiet warmth that was spreading through her chest, now that that farce of a situation had ended and she’d survived. Finally she could indulge in the wonderful feeling of a sated hunger and rest in the powerful arms holding her close.

After what seemed like five hours, but was probably only five minutes, Rey’s heartbeat finally returned to a more sedate pace. 

“So, that was—” She struggled to think of a word to describe that experience. Maybe bonkers. Or horrifying. And some other wriggly emotion she didn’t know the name of. She gave up. “That was something.”

She probably should take _some_ responsibility for her part. 

“And, I am sorry about that,” Rey began, begrudgingly. “But it was a special situation—I really needed to get that delivery!” 

And now that she had, she couldn’t help but feel an absurd yet growing sense of accomplishment, like she’d passed some bizarre test on a reality show.

_For your last challenge, you must obtain the treasure while stuck to the Alpha of your choice. But the catch is, you must not get caught!_

It actually wouldn’t surprise her if something like this was in a show. Probably in the UK on Channel 4.

Rey looked over at Ben and studied his calm brown eyes. “It won’t happen again,” she promised. 

“It’s fine,” Ben said, giving her a crooked grin. “And actually, something good did come of it, apart from you getting your delivery. I think this is the first time I’ve seen you wearing any of my clothes.” He smoothed a hand down her stomach and thighs. 

Rey glanced at the shirt she was basically swimming in on top of her own T-shirt. The lightly striped blue fabric was crumpled around her thighs, like a short dress over her jeans. 

“I like it.” 

“Me too.” 

It was something she could very easily get used to. She would have to steal some of Ben's shirts to wear at home, Rey thought, as she played with Ben's fingers resting over hers and revelled in their combined scents. 

It was so simple, but right. 

In the end, they didn’t go out for dinner. They went back to Ben’s place and stayed in. 

Rey didn’t mind. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much to [reylogarbagechute](https://archiveofourown.org/users/reylogarbagechute/pseuds/reylogarbagechute) and [QueenOfCarrotFlowers](https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenOfCarrotFlowers/pseuds/QueenOfCarrotFlowers) for helping me with my story outline and with this chapter! Check out their work if you haven’t already—they both have really fun stories. :)

3.

The third time could easily be blamed on Poe. Or Finn. Or a combination of both. 

Whoever’s fault it was—it definitely wasn’t Rey’s. 

—————

“That’s a stupid question. It’s obvious.” 

“Well, what is it? I want to hear your answer.” 

“ _Obviously_ I would choose the dog’s legs. That way I could still have my own head and I could talk…. and I suppose I would also be able to run really fast.” Ben gestured with his hands as though they were paws, bounding down the street in joyful leaps. 

It was a quiet Friday night and they were camped out on Rey’s squashy blue couch, sticky and hot, knotted together as usual and playing their new favourite game. Rey had declared only light and silly questions allowed—none of those disgusting or horrible ones kids in high school favoured. She had made enough tough decisions for herself in her life already. 

Rey considered Ben’s answer and nodded, satisfied. She rested her head against his shoulder and snuggled further down against his chest, comfortable in her seat atop him. Her legs were tight around his hips, and his fingers moved up and down on her back as though writing letters.

“True. Who would choose to have a dog’s _head_?” 

“Maybe someone who doesn’t like talking but would prefer to be a hunter or something? For the heightened senses, I guess.” 

“I’m glad you don’t have a dog’s head.” She sat up and tilted her own head back to give him a peck on his chin. 

“Oh?”

“Mmhm. Then I wouldn’t be able to kiss you like this.” 

The kiss she gave him this time was soft and slow, like she was melting into his body. Like nothing was separating them—which at the moment, not much was. 

Ben’s mouth curled in a smirk before he spoke against her lips. 

“Oh, you could still kiss me. It would just be a bit wetter and… with a longer mouth, like this…” Ben turned his head sideways and stretched out his jaw and lips in a ridiculous imitation of a snout, mouth sucking over hers and tongue licking her roughly over her face. Rey shrieked and turned away, laughing. 

“Actually, that’s not too bad…” Ben murmured and dived towards her mouth again, tongue outstretched. 

“Gross!” Rey squealed and grabbed his face, pushing it back and away from hers. Ben cracked and laughed, eyes bright and sparkling. 

God, he was gorgeous, slobbering and all. 

She smiled back at him until a thought occurred to her. “Would it count as bestiality if you just had a dog’s head? But everything else was the same?” 

“Don’t know… it’d be like a werewolf or something…” Ben said. He was distracted again, mouth and nose trailing along her jaw, skirting around her gland. He breathed deeply and exhaled in huffs behind her ear. 

Rey continued following her train of thought, far too used to Ben’s actions at this point to let that stop her flow. 

“But if you had a dog’s head, would you have a dog’s brain as well? Like, being obsessed with humping things and sniffing stuff and—oh wait, that’s you already!” 

“What? How dare you!” Ben exclaimed, pulling back and clutching his chest in mock outrage. “Although, I’d say that _you_ were pretty similar there. _You_ like sniffing me a lot. Don’t think you got away with what you did with my jacket the other day—I saw you. And you’re the one humping me whenever you can. Only after me for my body, geez,” he added, lifting his butt in a sharp jerk, forcing Rey to clutch his shoulders as she was lifted as well. 

Rey huffed and hid a smile in his shoulder. She had to be careful—he was just as good at giving as she gave it. And he never missed a thing.

“Oh, _ha_ ha. Hey—does that mean—are you... calling me a _b-i-t-c-h_?” Rey gasped, eyes wide. 

“A _b-i-t-c-h_? Why’d you spell it out? That’s a change for your sailor’s mouth.” 

“Me? You’re just as bad!” she said, hands on hips. “And you dodged the question. You calling me a bitch?”

“Of course not, sweetheart. You’re not _a_ bitch. You’re _my_ b—”

“—Watch it!”

“—best friend,” Ben said, as seriously as though butter wouldn’t melt in his perfectly-formed mouth. 

“Hmmm.” Rey’s heart felt a tingle in her chest at that. 

“What?”

“Nice save, Solo. Redeeming yourself all smooth like,” Rey answered lightly, ignoring the floating cloud-like feeling in her middle. 

“What? It’s the truth.” He shrugged. “But what do I need to be redeemed for anyway? _You’re_ the one who said I was like a dog _first_.” 

“Well, _you’re_ the one who can’t stop popping knots everywhere, all the time.”

“And you love it—don’t you?” Ben smirked. 

“Oh, shut up.” 

“Admit it—I do things for you that no-one ever has,” he whispered into her ear.

Maybe that was true. Maybe Rey was becoming addicted to Ben. But not as he had joked—not only to his body. To other things; to talking to him, hanging out with him, joking around—just spending time with him. 

And they were things she actually enjoyed just as much as the sex. And the sex was very good. Spectacular. But what that meant, she refused to acknowledge. 

And she wasn’t going to admit anything. No way. 

“Oh my God, how do you get your head through the door around here—it’s gigantic!” she said indignantly, sidestepping around that conversational quicksand. 

“You know what else I have that’s gigantic?” 

Rey groaned, pleased he’d let the question slide. He just couldn’t help himself, could he? Typical Alpha. At the thought of one particular huge organ of his, she clenched around him reflexively. 

“Oh, here we go. Let me guess, your d—” 

“—My heart.” 

Rey paused, looking at him. 

“What? What did you think I was going to say?” Ben was too good at keeping a blank face. 

“ _You_ know what—and stop being so facetious.” 

“I-know-what, what? _What_ is so big? Tell me!” He pleaded, hands held outwards in supplication. 

“I’m not falling for that trap.” Rey couldn’t help but smile. He had such an unexpected funny side, which was usually (but not always) delightful. 

“Is it here—” Ben made a show of looking around the room and then down his body, “Are you looking at it? Can I see it right now?”

“Okay, very funny.” She stopped his mouth with hers, feeling him smiling widely until he softened, tracing the seam of her lips with his tongue. That distracted him for a few minutes before he pulled back once more. 

“But it is true, you know,” he added quietly.

“Ben—” 

“I do have a big heart. But only because of you. When I’m around you—it feels like it’s twice the size.” 

Oh.

Rey hadn’t expected that. She began to feel her own heart start to race. 

“Just so you know.” He leaned forwards and pressed a gentle kiss on her lips.

Rey felt a fluttering in her chest, like a box of moths had suddenly escaped into an open cavity inside.

Was that normal? She wasn’t sure. 

He pulled back to glance at her, eyes soft. “I’m sorry—maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned it. I know you don’t… I made you all flustered.” 

“I’m—I’m not flustered!” Rey argued, avoiding his eyes. Ben raised his eyebrows, a slight smile on his lips. “I’m not! I’m just…” 

An overwhelming feeling of pleasure tinged with anxiety was flooding through her, paradoxically softening and hardening her all at once. She held herself very still for a moment, brain frantically searching for an out. 

There was nothing like having difficult conversations while stuck to someone. 

“I’m just…”

Just as she hesitated, searching for a response in the growing silence, she was saved by the bell. 

Or banging, to be more precise. 

Someone next door must be doing some building work. At 9 pm. 

“What’s that noise?” 

“Hmm?” The noise coming from Ben was a cross between a purr and a growl. 

Another knock, now paired with a voice calling out. 

“Rey? It’s meeeee!” 

Rey stared at Ben.

There was no mistaking those obnoxiously loud and chipper tones. 

“For fuck’s sake,” Ben groaned. “Fucking _Poe_.”

Fucking Poe indeed. 

“ _Rey_ —you home?” 

Rey grabbed hard onto Ben’s shoulders, nails digging in and whispered, “Don’t say anything! Hopefully he’ll go!” 

They held their breath and waited. 

Poe’s voice came again, paired with another loud banging.

“Helloooo! Anyone home? No? Okey dokey, I’ll just let myself in…” 

Oh _shit_. 

They looked at each other, eyes wide with shock and panic.

Ben frowned at Rey. “He has a key?” 

“It must be Finn’s from when he lived here—but I obviously didn’t expect this!” 

It hadn’t been unusual for Poe to wander down the street to see Finn at their unit, as he only lived two blocks away. He had been like a second roommate for Rey before Finn moved out. But what he was doing here now, she had no idea. And the timing was just typical. 

A faint jiggling of the doorknob reminded them of the urgency of their situation. They were still stuck together, mostly naked in the living room, for anyone to see. 

Well, now most likely, for Poe to see. 

“Quick! Take us to my room!” 

Ben huffed and moved to stand up, Rey’s legs wrapped tight around his back, before looking down at his trousers and boxers still bunched around his ankles. One shoe was still on and one foot was half through his trouser leg.

“Rey, I’ll trip—I don’t want to fall with you like this,” Ben complained. 

“We’ll just have to cover up somehow,” Rey said, looking down at her bra— the only item of clothing she still had on. 

How she kept finding herself in these situations, she just did not know. 

“Rey, let’s not do this again. I’ll just tell Poe to fuck off—I don’t care if he knows,” Ben said, eyes narrowed and staring back to where they could hear Poe fumbling with the key still. “He might work it out anyway, Rey. Actually, I wouldn’t mind if—” 

“I do—I do mind! Don't you dare.” 

“Why not?”

“It’ll be too embarrassing. Poe would be all—Poe about it. Then he’d tell Finn and... and I’d never live it down!” She could only _imagine_ the ribbing she’d get from them over the next fifty years. Plus Finn wasn’t the best at keeping secrets, especially ones that he enjoyed, so the rest of their friends would soon know not long after. 

They could hear Poe swearing and muttering to himself, attempting to fit the key into the lock. 

“Quick!” Rey whined. 

They scrambled to reach for their shirts scattered next to them. Ben kicked off his last shoe and tugged his pants up, bucking up into Rey slightly to pull it over his hips and bottom as much as he could. Both moaned at the added stimulation where they were joined. 

Rey twisted her back to look around as far as she could. Her jeans were nowhere to be seen. 

“Ben! Help me—the blanket!” Rey frantically pointed to the white and fluffy throw that had slithered off the couch and was lying crumpled on the floor. 

Ben held on to Rey’s shoulders and awkwardly leaned forward, Rey grabbing tight to his shoulders as she was tilted backwards, back resting on Ben’s legs. He groaned as his hand just reached the blanket, Rey gasping as the movement tugged on the knot currently lodged inside her. 

Ben pulled them both back upright on the couch and handed the blanket to Rey, just as they heard a key being inserted into the lock, a twist, and then click. 

“Now where’s that light...” Poe’s voice was alarmingly close as he opened the door down the corridor. A thud and what sounded like someone tripping gave them a few more seconds. ”Shit—what was that... fucking huge shoe—” they could hear him muttering angrily. 

They just had time to tuck the blanket securely around them, arranging their limbs and faces in what Rey hoped was normal and everyday placements and not the recently-knotted-and-caught variety, before Poe sauntered into the room. 

As he turned towards the bedrooms and made to cross the living space, he startled jerkily and stopped, his hand banging against the doorframe as he flung it out in shock.

“Hi.”

Rey held her breath, face flushed beyond belief as she stared up at him from the couch, Ben gripping her hips tightly under her.

Poe’s eyes bugged out for a second, then a huge grin spread across his face. 

“Oh shit! It’s Rey! What d’ya know—you _are_ home! And Benny boy too! What’s up, man?” Poe nodded at them, eyes half-lidded and mouth quirked. “I hope you don’t mind, Rey—I used Finn’s key.” 

It took a few seconds, but with every booming and slightly slippery word out of his mouth, an invisible cloud of fumes wafted over to them through the room, stinking of beer and spirits. His usually faint Alpha scent, normally kept under wraps by high-level blockers, was completely masked. 

Rey released her breath. If she couldn’t smell him, chances were he couldn’t smell them either. Plus, he looked totally hammered. So they had that on their side. 

Finn had only been gone for two days at a conference overseas and it looked like Poe had already been finding it hard, treating himself to a party of one at home. 

“Hey Poe—no, that’s fine!” Rey answered brightly, inwardly grimacing her at volume. 

A pile of dark blue caught Rey’s eye. Her jeans. On the floor directly under Poe’s foot. Maybe he wouldn’t notice. Or if he did, hopefully he'd just think she was a slob. 

“I thought you’d be at Ben’s! Don’t you, like, practically live there now?”

“Ah—no. I don’t,” she protested, stubbornly, avoiding the eyes of the Alpha in question. 

It was true that she had been spending more time over at Ben’s. Friday nights turned into Saturdays as well, then it was just easier to stay for the whole weekend. Then on Mondays, it was quicker to go to work from Ben’s apartment as it was actually closer to her shop than Rey’s own little flat. Then a couple of weeknights she would often have dinner with him as well. 

It was just because his place was larger. And had a better kitchen. Ben didn’t use it that much—it would be a crime to let the stainless steel appliances and dark marble benchtop go unused. But she wasn’t actually _living_ with him. 

“Yeah, ya do, sweetcheeks. But who can blame you with that hunk of burning love around.” Poe made finger guns towards Ben, with an exaggerated wink that wouldn’t have been out of place in a pantomime. 

Ben huffed and rolled his eyes. 

“Speaking of, I’m not interrupting anything, am I?” Poe asked, leering. He attempted to lean against the doorframe, slipping and catching himself at the last moment. 

Both Rey and Ben spoke at the same time. 

“No, not at all—”

“ _Yes_ , actually—”

Rey glared at Ben, sending a message through her eyes. This was embarrassing enough without Poe being aware of their sticky and stuck situation. 

Ben sighed, jaw clenching and gave her a small nod. 

“No, no. It’s fine,” Rey insisted. They could get through this with Poe none the wiser. She just had to get rid of him first.

“So, not that I’m not happy to see you—” Rey said hesitantly, Ben scoffing underneath her, ”but uh, were you wanting something…?”

“Oh, yeah! I’m here to borrow one of your Nintendo Game Boys. Finn told you I was coming round?”

“Ah—no, he didn’t. And sure, that’s fine.” 

Oh, Finn. He’d pay for this later. If Rey ever told him, that is. She’d have to find a way to punish him without him ever realising he was being punished. 

“Awesome! So, having a good night? Up to much?” Poe strolled over to the single armchair, throwing himself down to lounge on it lazily. 

Rey cringed. While he was generally an energetic and enthusiastic person when sober, Poe somehow became even more talkative after a few drinks. Right now he seemed to be at a Poe Level 2; settling in for a long chat. 

She guessed he was missing Finn. She’d almost feel sorry for him if she wasn’t still acutely aware of Ben’s cock throbbing inside her still, her skin stretching around his knot wedged deep. 

Rey looked at Ben. Why did she have to be the one to continue the conversation? But came nothing from him except a twitch of his eyebrow and a dark stare. 

“Oh… you know, just hanging around,” she eventually got out. She was so smooth.

Rey twisted as far as she could to face him, attempting to act normally. She balanced her elbow on Ben’s shoulder and rested her chin on her clenched fist, smiling stiffly. 

What was he looking at? Could he tell?

Shit. They were going to get caught. Oh God. _Oh God_. She could feel herself spiralling. 

At that moment, Ben took a deep breath, chest puffing out as he did so, his shirt stretching and straining over his wide shoulders. 

His delicious scent was swelling, becoming an almost physical presence in the room, even more so than the still lingering scents of pheromones and sex. As she inhaled, she had the sudden image of an invisible barrier wrapping her in a protective and comforting embrace. 

Thankfully it seemed that Poe hadn’t noticed Rey’s olfactory suit-of-armour, as he continued chattering on. 

“Finn says ‘hi’ by the way. It sounds like his conference is going okay—bit boring though. Too many dull speakers, not enough snacks.” Poe shook his head. “He said to tell you ‘hi’,” he added again. 

“Oh, right. Hopefully it will get more interesting soon.” 

She glanced at the clock on the wall. They probably had around 10 minutes left at least before Ben deflated enough to unlock from her, unless it deflated earlier. But that seemed unlikely, as he’d shown he had quite an impressive level of staying power in difficult circumstances.

“Yeah, hope so. Hopefully he’ll have time to see the sights, go to London Bridge—is that the one with the tower things? I can never remember. And that huge clock thing. What d’ya call it?”

Rey tried not to look at her boyfriend as she answered, desperately willing her blush to disappear. 

“Big Ben.”

Ben coughed under her, his hands squeezing her arms again before rubbing over his mouth, no doubt hiding a smile.

“Big Ben!” Poe crowed. “You’d know all about that, wouldn’t you Rey? Get it? Big Ben...” Poe winked.

She did get it. In fact, she had it right now, still jammed right up inside her. 

“Hey—next time we should all go with him, what d’ya say? You can show us around!” 

“Mhm! Yeah… definitely.” Rey said unenthusiastically. Nevermind she’d never spent much time in London. 

“So, this is nice, Rey! You know, we haven’t hung out much together without Finn. Now that he's away we’ll have to catch up more. You’re all mine!” He chuckled inanely to himself and rubbed his hands together. 

Ben’s voice suddenly burst out from beneath her, deeper and with a rough and gritty edge that she’d never heard before.

“She is _not—yours_.”

Rey felt her breath catch. She gripped his arms tighter. 

“Oh—chill, Benny boy!” Poe raised his hands defensively and blanched a little, before looking away, muttering to himself. Something about being touchy. 

Ben huffed and, in a brazenly bold move, licked a slow stripe up Rey’s neck, right over her gland.

Holy fuck. She shivered all over and arched her neck further. That was kinda… something. 

Her face flushed. She couldn’t help the automatic clench around his throbbing cock.

It was throbbing still? Again? She suddenly couldn’t remember if it had been throbbing all this time, or had just started again. 

“So, uh, Poe… you were wanting a Game Boy?” Rey asked, ready for this conversation to be over already. 

“Oh, yeah! Thanks, Rey! And you got some of the old games that go with it?” Poe asked, waving a hand around. 

“Ah, yeah. I’ve got a few. Kirby, Zelda, some others. Also there should be Tetris, I think. You know, the one with the pieces that interlock..." she started to gesture with her hands before realising it was a little too close to home. "Anyway, they should all be in a box,” Rey said quickly. She'd collected a few through the shop over the years; she had a soft spot for the dated technology as it was one of the only games she'd had access to growing up. “They're probably in the cupboard in the corridor, under some stuff.”

“Great, thanks!” 

Poe smiled placidly. 

And waited. 

Oh God, this was terrible.

“Uh—you’re welcome to look for yourself. It’s just, uh, over there.” Rey pointed in the general direction. 

A flicker of surprise passed over his face, before he smiled again and jumped up and out of his seat. “Oh, right! Sure. No need to get up! I’ll just...go check.” 

Left alone once more, Rey groaned and lowered her head down onto Ben’s shoulders again. 

“How long do you think you’ll—?”

“With another Alpha here, it might be a while. Plus it’s _Poe_. And he’s such a fucking puffed-up peacock. Always prancing around like he’s God’s gift to Omegas. He’s been like that since high school.” Ben grimaced. 

“Well, he didn’t end up with an Omega, did he.”

“Hmm. You’re lucky that Poe's practically mated to Finn—I don’t think I could’ve stood to have him near you like this, not without making a bigger scene,” he murmured, a glint in his eye. 

Rey was also never more glad that Poe took military strength blockers ever since starting his relationship with her Beta roommate. The double whammy of beer and blockers was their saviour. 

Ben sighed before rubbing his face with his hand. ”Actually, you know what, let’s just tell him. He probably won’t even remember.”

An image of Poe’s face as he discovered they were knotted flashed across Rey’s mind. He’d tease her terribly about not being able to help themselves, about getting caught, about... _mating._ Her stomach roiled with the thought. 

“No,” Rey groaned, “I guarantee he’ll remember this. Things just wouldn’t work out that well.”

A call came from the corridor. “Rey—I can’t find it! Where is it?” 

“Uh, I’m pretty sure it’s somewhere there!” Rey yelled back. 

A moment passed. 

“Are you sure? I can’t see it under all this stuff…” Poe called out again. 

“Maybe just move some of that out of the cupboard and look towards the back?” 

Rey slapped her hand to her face. This was just. Hopeless.

She looked at Ben seated below her on the couch, still in the same position they’d been in earlier. Surely that was a bit weird looking?

“Should we try to move around a bit—make it less suspicious?” she whispered. 

“How?”

“Maybe if I like… swivel around?”

The look she received was like she had just proposed to suck his big toe. Part horrified confusion, part amusement, which at the moment, seemed to quite sum up the whole situation. 

“Here, look.” 

Rey pushed and angled Ben to turn sideways and lie back on the couch, which he did reluctantly. Tilting her body backwards and leaning her palms on his thighs, she carefully extended her legs, feeling them tingle from the extended time being curled around him. 

Now for the tricky part. She slowly lifted her inside leg up and over his face, narrowly avoiding kicking him, and then gasping quietly, she started to carefully shift herself around on his knot. 

It was another odd feeling. Like being stirred from the inside. She actually didn’t mind it. Luckily she was still considerably wet from their dual contributions, so that greased the central axis on which she spun.

She had a sudden strange burst of sympathy for a pencil sharpener on a pencil. 

“Ugh, fuck,” Ben groaned loudly. 

Rey shushed him and paused. The sounds of boxes and containers banging around the corner continued uninterrupted, but they’d have to be quick. 

She continued to adjust her hips until finally she was sitting sideways on his lap with her legs together. Ben lifted himself back up and ran his nose up Rey’s throat, stopping to leisurely kiss her neck. 

“God, Rey. There’s no-one like you,” he murmured, chuckling. Rey instinctively tilted her head to the side, closing her eyes as he started to mouth close to her gland. That felt so good. 

She could hear Poe still rummaging around in the cupboard before the sound stopped. A second later footsteps shuffling back down the corridor forced her brain into action and she pulled her neck away from Ben’s with a jerk. She quickly rearranged the blanket back over her lap just as Poe walked back into the room, a frown on his face and hands empty. 

“I couldn’t find it...” he whined, pouting. 

“Oh. Sorry.” Rey said, half-heartedly.

“So, do you mind… helping a pal out and having a look?” Poe batted his eyelashes in what he presumably hoped looked charming, but in fact appeared more like a malfunctioning robot. 

“Yes, of course! I’ll have a bigger look and let you know when I find it.” Rey smiled brightly, ignoring the guilt creeping up her throat. 

“Oh. You can’t go and find it now?” 

If Rey wasn’t currently knotted, she’d seriously consider whacking him with a big stick, he was so oblivious. Although if she wasn’t knotted, then they wouldn’t be having this problem. And it was that same drunken cluelessness that Rey was also ironically grateful for. 

She gritted her teeth. This would be over soon, she tried to reassure herself. 

“No, I can't.” 

“Oh. Okay. Okay.” Poe nodded and studied them a moment, a slight frown crossing his brows. 

“So, I can see you’re like, all snuggled up like a bug in a rug, but how’d you feel about watching a movie on Netflix?” He asked, hopefully. 

Oh, please no. 

“Uh, I’m kinda tired, Poe. I think we’re gonna go straight to bed.”

“Oh, no probs. No probs. Well, guess I gotta go then.” He pointed towards the door but started towards the pair on the couch. 

What _the fuck_ was he doing, Rey thought, alarmed. 

Poe stepped up to them and then quickly leaning down, his head between Rey and Ben’s, he wrapped his arms around them both and squeezed, in the most awkward hug Rey had ever experienced in her entire life. 

She froze in shock, feeling Ben’s muscles ripple and tense under her legs and back. 

Although it couldn’t have been for more than a second, she was never more aware of the knot plugging up her cunt and the soft and fraying wool blanket wrapped around her—the only barrier between Poe and her naked bottom half. 

At that same moment, the overpowering scent of beer and subtle _other Alpha_ drifted over them. 

It was repulsive. 

_That’s not my Alpha_ , a voice inside her whispered angrily. 

A deep and thunderous growl reverberated through the air, like a crack of lightning, searing their brains and ears. Poe jumped back as though he’d been zapped, eyes wide. 

As though watching from a distance, Rey noted interestedly the way Ben’s face had changed.

But she felt no fear. She knew she was safe. 

“ _Do_. _Not._ _Touch._ ” Ben hissed forcefully, barely-contained violence hinted beneath his words. He opened his mouth, but cut himself off with another growl, gritting his teeth. 

Poe blinked, stupidly. 

“Woah... sorry, man.” 

Ben stared back at him. Rey was surprised he wasn’t steaming from the pure fire coming from his eyes and the heat rolling through his chest under her palm, his arms reflexively pulling her securely against him. 

Rey felt herself tighten all her internal muscles in one reflexive _clench_. 

“Alright, alright, I’m going! No need for the murder eyes!” Poe lifted his hands again and backed away slowly, eyebrows raised. 

_Yes, Alpha is strong—Alpha beats all others—Alpha is best mate,_ the voice inside her chanted. 

Nope. Not touching that. Rey battered the thoughts down with a jolt. 

“Okay, I’m out of here. Rey, a pleasure!” Poe mimed a courtly bow. “Benny—charming as always. See you guys later!” 

He gave a little salute, then turned and ambled out of the room, down the corridor, tripping over what was likely Ben’s lone shoe again, before finally closing the door behind him with a click. 

Silence fell once more. 

Except for a deep, humming baritone, vibrating through Ben’s chest and against hers. It was oddly soothing. 

Was Ben… purring? Huh. 

He pulled her tight against his chest.

“Fucking _Poe_. Always the funny, _popular_ one… thinks he gets whatever he wants. Well he doesn’t have everything _now_ , does he—calling you _his_. You’re not fucking his. Couldn’t he see that I—” Ben closed his eyes for a moment, gritting his teeth. “You’re… not anyone’s.” 

He frowned and breathed deeply, before muttering against her skin. “Should have told him to get the fuck out earlier. Maybe even hit him—he’s got such a punchable face.” 

Unable to think for the whirlpool of emotions and thoughts flooding through her, Rey could only say; “It’s okay, he’s gone now—you made him go. Thank you.” 

Following some instinct, she leaned down and buried her face under his chin, kissing him and licking his skin, before letting her words pour out unchecked. 

“And I don’t want him. I’ve never wanted him.” 

She had an uncontrollable urge to point that out, despite the fact that she’d only known Poe from when he’d started dating Finn. But it just seemed like something she should say, for some reason. Whatever the case, Ben appeared to appreciate it. 

With a desperate sigh, he hurriedly found her mouth with his own and worked on completely forcing every single thought out of her head that wasn’t him. His tongue tangled with hers, tasting her, lips nipping her cheek, ear and neck fiercely. She lost herself for minutes, in a daze of scents and hands and heat, never forgetting his cock still inside her twitching. 

Rey finally pulled back and rested her forehead against Ben’s as a worry surfaced. 

“He won’t remember and work it out later, will he?”

Ben lowered his head again to her neck, sucking a small mark on her shoulder. He pulled back off with a pop. 

“No, probably not,” he murmured. “He’ll just have a hangover as a memory of tonight; he’s not as young as he once was.” 

Rey sighed in relief. She still couldn’t believe what had happened. It was pretty horrendous. And embarrassing. Mortifying. That was why her heart was still beating so intently. 

“Ben? That was pretty bad, wasn’t it.”

“Hmm? If you say so.” He licked a stripe from her collarbone to below her ear. 

An image of Ben’s face as he stared Poe down flashed in her mind. His power, his intensity, sparked a shiver up her spine. The way he’d growled… defended her… told Poe she wasn’t his...

Yes. It was bad. Very bad. 

Not only did it take longer for Ben’s knot to deflate, but it wound the clock back to start another half an hour. 

Neither mentioned it. 

—————

As they lay curled up in bed later that night, Ben wrapped around Rey’s back and arms hugging her close, Rey’s mind kept turning over the highlights (or blooper) reel from that evening. 

One thing in particular arrested her attention; how utterly disinterested and repulsed she was at the thought of being with Poe like that. How completely disinterested she was in the thought of being with _anyone else_. 

Except for Ben. 

And looking back over her past relationships, if she would even call them that, she’d never felt an ounce of what she felt today. 

Comparing her feelings then to what it felt like with Ben now—well, it was like comparing a flashlight to the sun. And the blinding light was terrifying and exciting and made everything seem different. 

Ben was right, in a way—no-one had ever done that to her before. 

She wondered if anyone else ever would. 

A stabbing pain sliced through her heart at the thought of having to start all over with someone else—of Ben not being there—no, she couldn’t think of that. She didn’t want to go there. 

She tightened her hand around his and pulled it closer to her chest, closing her eyes. 

That was a thought for another day. Not tonight. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so this crack fic is turning out a lot fluffier than I was expecting...
> 
> Thanks so much for reading! <3


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay everyone! Life got a bit hectic for a while. I'll try to make the wait not as long next time.
> 
> Thanks again to QueenOfCarrotFlowers for the beta. <3

4.

The fourth time was due to the fact that it was such a lovely day — they just couldn’t not (knot).

—————

A light breeze drifted over dancing leaves as golden streaks of light reached down into the dappled woodland below. High above the sheltering branches, peeks of bright blue sky could be seen, with cotton wool clouds sailing by like small ships on a gentle tide.

The distant chatter and ting of birds and crack of fallen leaves underfoot only added to the idyllic scene.

That, and the harsh and deep grunts in Rey’s ear.

“ _Fuuuuck_...”

A sudden thrust forced a gasp from her, as jolting forwards, her chest was pressed against the wide trunk she was holding. The bark was rough beneath her fingers, scratchy grooves with ridges, a landscape in miniature.

Another groan came from behind her as large hands hitched her firmly back onto the cock that was splitting her wide and pinning her to the tree like an axe in wood.

She bit her lip in satisfaction, staring up at the winding branches and the cobalt sky above.

The smell of damp earth, crushed leaves and musty bark rose with every rock of their feet and scratch of her nails against the trunk.

Above it all, drifted a scent she knew as well as her own. A scent that comforted and thrilled her; that wrapped her up tightly. The smell of home.

Of Ben.

 _Alpha_.

—————

The afternoon had _started_ as a perfectly respectable Saturday walk in the local nature reserve not too far from home; an ambling stroll under the wide branches of stately chestnut trees and a short pause at the lazily flowing brook, clear and cold water meandering over shiny rocks and leaves. After an hour or so of this, Rey had pulled Ben off the main track onto a smaller path, eager to explore the dense forest surrounding them, certain there were natural treasures to be found.

She had always loved being outdoors, amongst the trees and the greenery, smelling the fresh earthy scents and hearing the birdsong. It was something she had never been able to have much of while growing up—her foster families never cared about taking her to parks or maintaining gardens. Her last foster ‘carer’, if you could call him that, had lived in a rundown industrial neighbourhood with barely a strip of grass to be seen, let alone a single tree or flower. So when she finally managed to get herself out of there, she tried to make up for this lack on her own.

Recently, she’d had a strong desire to share and involve Ben in these experiences and this afternoon, she’d wanted to take him somewhere special. The nature reserve was one of the first spots she’d discovered by herself.

So she’d shown him all her favourite trees and views. He’d shared what he’d learned from family camping trips about the local flora and fauna. Listening to his ridiculous anecdotes of toads in tents and swimming in freezing lakes had been entertaining. But the way he’d smiled when listening to her enthusiastic rambles, eyes crinkled at the corner, had caused another part of her to relax, like the slow loosening of lacing on a corset allowed her to let her natural shape free.

As they walked deeper through the forest hand in hand, the wide and sunny spaces transitioned to wilder and darker woods; the vegetation closer and rougher, branches twisting and blocking out most of the sun, the temperature dropping in the gloomy shade.

The relaxed and informal chat between Rey and Ben slowly tapered off, as a strange anticipation and tension grew, like they’d crossed the boundary to another world.

In the charged silence, she was more aware of Ben beside her, his thick and muscled forearm brushing against her own with every few paces, his blunt thumb rubbing against the back of her wrist slowly and deliberately.

She could hear him breathing deeply. See him looking at her in the corner of her eye.

Her heart pounded in her chest, echoing in her ears.

Her legs felt jittery, restless.

An urge to run was sizzling through her. And with it, an urge to be chased—like some small woodland creature escaping from the snapping jaws of a wolf.

She guessed there was definitely something about being alone in nature with a powerful Alpha. At least there seemed to be with this one.

After pushing past some bushes, they found themselves at the edge of a large clearing bordered by lofty trees and covered with long grass, tousled and messy like fur. At the far end of the clearing stood an enormous and ancient oak, its thick and heavy branches so low to the ground, it resembled a kind of twisted umbrella, the wide trunk barely visible inside.

They came to a stop, staring at the tree.

Feeling a thrumming of her heart, not able to stay standing there any longer, she immediately took off, shrieking as she sprinted over the grass to the edge of the oak’s branches, Ben following close behind with a growl.

Ducking under the straining limbs, she straightened up into the shelter of the tree and looked up, amazed at the high curving branches and lush green leaves. She didn’t have long to appreciate the view, as a few seconds later she was finally caught around the middle by the heavily breathing Alpha.

Exercise always brought out the rich smokiness in his scent, heightening and strengthening it, like it was stewing and becoming more concentrated and potent.

She shifted, feeling her underwear stick to her as she did, slick starting to pool out of her.

“Rey…”

One heated glance between them was all it took, before what was simmering between them finally bubbled over. In a single move, Ben surged towards her, mouth finding hers fiercely, just as she jumped up into his arms and threw herself into his kiss, tugging at his hair frantically as he groaned against her lips.

The world became a blur. All that remained was the feeling of the tree and bark against her back and Ben rutting between her legs, mouth skimming her neck. She lost herself in him for what seemed like hours, until with a jolt she felt his hands slip under her skirt into her underwear and heard the slide of his zip.

“What if—” she panted into his neck. “What if someone comes?”

It was a token protest, an attempt to seem less eager, less desperate for the scandalous suggestion his hands proposed.

“Oh, let them see,” he gasped roughly, before continuing, “Besides, there’s no one else here. I can’t wait—I need to have you. _Please_.”

There was no use pretending she didn’t feel the same, that her blood wasn’t also boiling with the need for more—to be as close as she could get to him. She gratefully gave in with a sigh, holding his head tighter to hers and nodding frantically.

Before she knew it, she was dropped onto her feet, turned and pushed up against the tree, skirt raised and underwear pushed aside, and then in one smooth move, she was full with Ben’s cock slamming inside.

Rey rested her forehead between her hands and eyed the larger pair bracketing her own and gripping the tree with knuckles white with tension. One hand swept down her sides and tilted her hips back, positioning her at a better angle to slide deeper inside.

She could have felt trapped; should have felt smothered. Maybe a year ago she might have. But pinned against the towering tree in the clearing, half covered by the wide chest and body of the Alpha behind her, she felt anything but.

This was good. No, this was _perfect_ ; exactly what she needed.

She closed her eyes and savoured the stretch, the slick slide forwards and back between their bodies.

Clinging to the trunk, she felt like she was a part of some ancient ritual, tied to the magical oak, where their natural and animalistic inclinations were freed and heightened. Pure Alpha and Omega.

And the feeling of being out in the open, however sheltered they were, where anyone could stumble across them, added an extra layer of danger. She never thought she’d like this, but oh, heaven help her, she did.

“Oh, _fuck_ , Rey. How can you always be so—so good. The way you _feel_ ,” he grunted in between forceful drives of his hips.

He turned her head with a huge hand and swallowed her next breath, mouth nipping and tasting, as though he wanted to take everything he could get.

As their rhythmic rocking built speed and one searching finger rubbed at her clit, so too did a rush of warmth, spreading quickly through all her limbs until it finally reached the top and spilled over, sending her body tightening into a wave of shivers.

Distantly, she was aware of Ben quickening his pace, his thrusts growing rough and fierce, until with a shout, his knot swelled and locked, spasming and signalling his own release within her.

A limp haziness settled through her.

Soft kisses dotted down her neck.

Arms held her tight.

A moment later, a murmur came from behind her, before Ben turned her to gingerly walk them out from the roots and immediate base of the tree to the soft grass below, carefully seating them, his arms wrapped around her securely and his forehead resting against her neck, breathing in deeply.

They had gotten better at their knotted waddle and sit-manoeuvre. It hardly seemed like a difficulty at all.

Rey leaned back, head on his shoulder. She gazed up at the leafy arched ceiling above them.

Quiet. Peace. Calm.

—————

Resting against Ben, snacking on the bites of food they’d brought to share, her back to his chest, knot still plugging her up, she felt her mind and body relax, the instincts within her finally sated, as though a storm had passed, leaving behind clear fresh air and watered and green grass. There was nothing like it.

Ben’s voice broke the peaceful silence, rumbling against her back. “I’ve been thinking about something.”

“Oh dear, did it hurt?”

She turned to watch the effect of her words. He didn’t disappoint; rolling his eyes and huffing.

“Sorry—I just had to. It was lined up so perfectly,” she said, grinning. Riling him up was one of her favourite hobbies—it was irresistible.

“If you’re _finished_ , I was thinking, do you have any plans for next May?”

It was so far away she could hardly picture next year.

“I don’t think so. Why?”

“I have a chance to take a few weeks of leave next year.” He paused and ripped off the tips of some scraggly grass beside them. “And I thought—how do you feel about also taking some time off from work and us going on a proper holiday? Maybe somewhere exciting—make a real thing of it. Like maybe Italy? I was thinking of Lake Como—people say it’s beautiful. I think my grandparents honeymooned there actually.”

Rey swallowed thickly, like she’d swallowed a huge bite of something too large for her throat. She could feel her heart beating faster in her chest.

“Italy?”

“Yeah, why not. I’d pay of course, if you’re worried about that.”

“But—that’s almost a year away.”

“I know. It’d be good to organise the flights early as they get really expensive the later you leave it. Plus it’ll be getting into the peak season and accommodation books up fast.”

He sounded so confident. So sure. Planning one year from now, going on an overseas holiday together.

Rey couldn’t help but hesitate, like there was something in her brain that was stuck. A cog wasn’t turning, despite the motor whirring like mad.

“Oh…”

“It’ll be warm and we can go swimming and sightseeing,” Ben rested his chin on her shoulder, warming to the topic. “Can’t you picture us? Soaking up the sun around the lake, boating—I’ll get seasick, but you’ll convince me to go on the boat anyway, exploring the islands. I know you’ve always wanted to travel to Europe. I thought we could start there and tick some places off the list.”

She _could_ picture it. And it sounded wonderful. Like everything she had dreamed of.

But also, it was a long time away. Would they still even be together then? What if they booked it and then broke up? What if Ben decided he didn’t want her and didn’t want to go? What if they went and _then_ after spending so much time and such close proximity to her, he decided he didn’t like her?

The silence lengthened. Thickened. Became as physical as a soup.

“Unless... you don’t want to?”

“No, I… it sounds amazing. It’s just a big thing to plan…”

She struggled to put to words the twisty feelings in her stomach, the furious battle that was playing out in her mind.

“It’s okay—you don’t need to say anything now. Just think about it.”

Relieved yet frustrated with herself somehow, she nodded.

A moment passed. Ben rubbed his palms on her thighs and spoke again.

“Also, Rey... while we’re talking about things, I thought I should ask—when... are you due for your next heat?”

Just hearing the word _heat_ come out of his mouth, caused her face to flush and a shiver to spread through her, her cunt clenching around him reflexively.

Why was he bringing up all these topics today?

“I know we’ve never—spoken about it. But I want you to know that if you want, I’ll help you through it.” His voice was deep, promising all the things she’d heard an Alpha was supposed to do for their Omega, _to_ their Omega. Things she could only imagine.

“Or if you don’t want me there, I’ll stay away. Whatever you want.”

Rey forced herself to reply. “Thanks. Um—It’s not for another two months or so, I think.”

“Okay. Well, let me know what you want to do. Later.”

His smell filled the clearing, smooth and intoxicating. Filling her mind, begging her to agree. _Yes Alpha, whatever you like. Fuck me through my heat._

“You can’t stop thinking about knotting me, huh?” she joked weakly.

“Of course. I’ll never not want to. _Especially_ when my Omega goes into heat.”

She turned her head sharply to look at him.

He stared seriously back at her, a slight curve at the corner of his lips.

She could feel Ben’s cock throbbing in time with her heartbeat and flushed cheeks.

At that moment, the sun shone through the canopy of leaves, illuminating a beam of light right on the back of his head, tinging the edges of his black hair with gold.

“Well, I think that—” Rey paused as she noticed him turn his head quickly, a frown on his face, listening.

A rustle and crack of leaves nearby were all the warning they had, before a small orange and white ball of fluff burst through the leaves and branches in front of them and bounded into her lap with a happy bark, almost knocking them over like bowling pins.

Gasping out a laugh, she attempted to grab the wriggling creature, its tiny body vibrating from the force of its enthusiastically wagging tail.

In a burst of activity, the dog licked and bounced all over them, pressing its face into mouth, nose and ear, as they recoiled and twisted, eager to avoid its tongue.

“Aww, look, Ben, he’s so friendly,” Rey cooed as he gave a disgusted grimace, pulling his head back with a jerk after receiving a passionate lick in the ear.

Too friendly, it seemed. The dog took her relaxed grip as an opportunity to dip his nose between her legs, sniffing and rooting around madly for what was no doubt a riot of scents.

She shrieked.

“Shit!” Ben grunted.

His massive arms came in handy as he roughly pushed the dog’s snout away from their conjoined groins, only for the determined beast to avoid his grasp and dive straight back in.

“Oh, God!” Rey couldn’t help laughing again as she and Ben wrestled with the excited dog. “Don’t hurt him!”

“I’m not, I’m just—trying to push him—away—but he’s not—getting the message!”

At long last, he got a hold of his collar and wrenched the dog back hard, just as they heard someone pass through the woody thicket into their hidden glade, stomping over the fallen leaves and tall grasses.

“Beebee! Where’d you run off to, you silly dog,” a voice called in the distance.

“Oh, here we go,” Ben muttered. Rey was almost glad for the interruption this time.

She quickly checked that her floaty skirt was still covering both of them after their tussle with the canine.

The fact that she happened to wear skirts and dresses more often, especially when she was meeting up or staying with Ben, was neither here nor there. People’s tastes in fashion changed sometimes. And they really were much cooler for the late summer heat they were having. So it really was a sensible choice—and Rey was all for sensible and rational dress.

As the person came into view and walked through the clearing, Rey held her breath. It was a young woman with blonde hair in two buns either side of her head, holding a water bottle in one hand and dog leash in the other.

Rey squinted at her through the hanging branches, feeling a prickle of familiarity—there was something about her… As she lifted a hand to tuck back a wayward piece of hair, it clicked.

“Oh, _hell_. I know her,” Rey groaned.

Ben looked up sharply at her from his position restraining the dog.

“Don’t worry. We’ve survived this before—we’ll get through it again,” he murmured reassuringly.

“I don’t care about that, thankfully she’s a Beta, it’s just—she’s the instructor of the spin class I’ve been skipping lately. I had hoped to be able to quietly stop going and never see her again,” Rey hissed.

So not only did she have to put up with the indignity of being caught once more while knotted, it happened to be with someone she was avoiding.

Ben huffed, lips twitching into a wry smile. “Well, maybe she won’t remember you.”

Her instructor turned and paused as she spotted the three of them under the tree.

“There you are, Beebee!”

She jogged over and ducked under the branches of the oak stopping when she was just a few paces away. A look of recognition passed over her face.

“Rey?”

Of course.

“Hey, Kaydel!”

Rey pasted on a fake smile; it was the smile she wore when she received a condescending and unwelcome piece of advice from an older male customer. _Yes, she did know what she was doing._

Kaydel hurried over to them. “Gosh, sorry—Beebee, come here!”

She leaned down and attempted to grab the still wriggling pooch by his collar.

It proved quite a difficult task.

In a move worthy of the best-worst baton-relay bungles, Ben released the dog to Kaydel’s reaching hand, just as she slipped to her knee on a leaf and lost her grip on him, setting him free once more to explore all the earthy delights of their privates, Rey’s hand frantically trying to push him away again.

_Oh my God._

Rey could feel her blush heating her cheeks.

“Oh, I’m so sorry— _naughty_ boy, Beebee, _stop_!”

Rey could only be thankful that Kaydel didn’t have the same heightened sense of smell as she crouched down next them, their knotted groins hidden under Rey’s skirt. The smell of slick, cum and pheromones that would normally be unavoidable at such a close range would go straight over her head. Or nose, rather.

Kaydel finally managed to clip the leash onto her dog’s collar and then standing, gave one hard yank and pulled him back a few steps, Beebee complying with a yip.

“Sorry, Rey. God, I need to train him better. That was awkward!” She giggled.

Rey forced a laugh. Yes. Indeed. Very Awkward. And she didn’t know the half of it.

“But it’s great to see you, Rey. It’s been ages since we’ve seen you in class. Everything alright?” Kaydel frowned, looking concerned.

“Yeah, sorry about that, I’ve been so busy lately,” Rey lied. She hadn’t been busy, unless she counted being constantly knotted on Ben’s cock. Like she was currently. “But I keep meaning to come back!” Another lie.

“Well, you should! We’ve been missing you!” She wagged her finger. Actually wagged.

“Hmm. Um, Kaydel, this is Ben. Ben—Kaydel.” Rey gestured, to which they nodded at each other and politely murmured greetings, Ben rubbing her hip slowly from where it rested at her waist.

Hopefully they just looked like any other normal couple having a typical picnic cuddled up together, and not fresh from a fuck against a tree, with the ‘p still in the v’.

Out across the clearing, someone else jogged over to them; a stunning dark-haired woman in the shortest running shorts Rey had ever seen and a tiny crop top, her full breasts bouncing perkily.

A faint and overly sweet scent drifted with the breeze from her direction.

An Omega.

_Shit._

Rey frowned. Hopefully the abundance of scents of woods and earth, dog and people, would mask the sex smell for a more sensitive nose, at least if she kept her distance.

Kaydel waved her over. “Hey, Baz. Sorry, silly Beebee ran off again. I shouldn’t take him off the lead—it’s my fault.”

The Omega smiled, hair swinging slightly in a high ponytail.

“No problem.”

She gave a cursory glance to Rey, before focusing intently on the man beneath her.

“Oh, Baz, this is Rey—she’s in my Wednesday Spin class,” Kaydel explained, to Rey’s lingering guilt, “and her… mate, Ben?”

Normally, Rey would be jumping all over herself to correct that misconception.

Well, at least that’s what she’d done the last few times it had been mentioned by someone.

But this time—and for some suddenly vital reason—Rey did not want to correct her.

In fact, she wanted to agree.

Ben, however, did not pick up on Rey’s internal change of heart. His eyes flicked over to Rey’s, before he swallowed and looked up at the Omega.

“Ah, we’re—we’re not mates,” he replied quietly, to Rey’s uncharacteristic unease.

This statement seemed to have a clear effect on the Omega; she raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow and smiled wider. With teeth. Like a shark.

A strange feeling rose inside Rey, like someone had just turned on a blender in her insides, churning up the previously smooth and still core.

“Sorry, I can never tell,” Kaydel apologised, grimacing, before turning to the woman beside her. “This is my friend Bazine. She also works at the gym as a trainer.”

“Nice to meet you, Rey... and Ben,” Bazine purred.

At this, Rey found herself forming an intense and immediate hatred of the woman.

How _dare_ she say his name like that—Rey was the only one who could say it in that way!

“Do you also go to our gym, Ben? You look like you work out a lot. I’ve never seen you around,” the Omega simpered. She then had the audacity to slowly drag her gaze up and down him, like she was sizing up a particularly juicy peach.

Rey had the sudden urge to slap that look right off her face and scratch her eyes out for daring to look at him at all. Maybe a tit punch would be necessary too.

“Uh, no, I—”

“No, he doesn’t. He has a gym at home,” Rey declared.

“Well, if you ever feel like something different, Ben, I could give you some pointers.”

“He’s _fine_ , thank you.”

Bazine continued to ignore her, the giant-boobed bitch. “Come down and I’ll give you a free first session—on _me_.”

The emphasis was subtle, but Rey caught it. The fuck he will, she scoffed.

“I don’t think he—”

“—Let me study your technique. I bet I could teach you a few things—help you get to where you need,” Bazine offered smoothly, playing with a long strand of hair before flicking it over her shoulder, tilting her bare neck just so.

Rey saw red.

This had gone on long enough.

“ _Excuse me_. He does _not_ need you. He has _everything_ he needs—at home. _Our_ home.”

Rey turned to look at Ben behind her. “Don’t you, _honey_?”

Following an increasingly demanding instinct that was screaming at her to listen, she leaned in and placed a loud and lingering kiss right over his mating gland.

_Alpha. Is. Mine._

She felt herself clench onto his knot, as hard as she could, as though she was a female Alpha and could double knot him inside herself and guarantee he’d stay put. This dick was not getting out of her anytime soon, if she had any say in it.

Ben breathed in sharply, eyes dark as he stared intensely back at Rey.

“I do.”

Rey flicked her eyes up to the Omega, daring her to continue—to say one more word to him.

The interloper was watching with narrowed eyes.

After a few strained seconds, she gave an insincere smile and glanced away.

“Fine.”

A burst of satisfaction overflowed in Rey; she felt triumphant, like she’d just defeated and batted down the enemy at the gates and she was the rightful recipient of a hoard of riches.

“Okay....” Kaydel looked very confused, frowning at her friend and Rey. “Well, we better go and leave you to your picnic. Hopefully I’ll see you soon in our next class, Rey?”

Rey smiled weakly back, saving one last glare for the Omega.

Much like she did for her dog, Kaydel grabbed Baz’s arm and gave her a tug. With a toss of her hair, the Omega strutted off with her friend, hips swaying.

Rey watched her depart with a fierce pleasure.

Once they’d passed through the clearing and back beyond the distant trees, however, the high of her victory disappeared with them. It was as though a cool breeze blew through the area, dispersing the strange warmth and pheromone haze, like fog clearing, leaving Rey unsettled and abashed.

_What the fuck was that?_

She’d gotten so worked up, so angry—about _personal training_. She’d almost started an argument with some Omega about Ben going to _the gym_.

She kissed him right on his gland—in front of people—basically declaring him hers. All while knotted still, although hopefully they didn’t know that.

And most surprising of all, she’d liked it.

No—she’d revelled in it.

And judging by the way her heart was still pounding hotly, her cunt still clenching tightly, her body had thrilled in it too.

She certainly wasn't turned on by this. Of course not, she scoffed internally. That would be just weird. And she was _not_ weird in any way.

It was probably a random but common reaction to the presence of another Omega. She hadn’t been around many others lately. Plus Ben’s pheromones were likely doing strange things to her body. That's it.

She didn’t mean it; she’d forget about it soon enough.

She took a deep breath and let it go, willing the moment to pass them by. She turned her head, searching the ground for their snacks when Ben broke the fragile silence, rubbing her waist softly.

“So... What was that?” he murmured. His eyes were serious, but there was a slight smile at the corner of his mouth. His scent was rising again—all smooth and rich smokiness and subtle spice.

“What?”

She focused on gathering their food, sliding the packets back into the proper containers.

A troop of ants had found their way into the fancy chocolate-chip cookies. _How annoying._ She’d have to wipe them all off, one by one. The biscuits were too good to waste. She hated wasting good food.

“ _That_. The stare-off. With—whatever-her-name was.”

Rey gritted her teeth, absorbed with flicking off the pesky insects. They’d been having a real party. One seemed to have dug itself a tunnel through the cookie.

“...And what was all that fuss about where I work out?

“Huh? Nothing. That was nothing.”

One ant had a particularly strong grip on the cookie. Despite her flicking, it was refusing to disengage. She shook it vigorously. _You’re still holding on—Let go!_

“Oh? But what if I _do_ want some individual training sessions? Maybe I shouldn’t pass up the free session...”

At that, she flung the biscuit down, turning to him, suddenly enraged.

“ _Don’t you dare_! You can’t—you’re _mine_! My—”

It was almost audible, the sudden click of her brain catching up to her mouth, grabbing the reins of her words and wrestling them under control. My _Alpha_ , she had almost said, her Omega self desperate with certainty.

An overwhelming feeling was rising again. She couldn’t think of him being with anyone else. The thought of Ben with that Omega—that perfect, voluptuously-feminine-yet-still-amazingly-toned _fucking_ Omega—was like taking a cheese grater to her heart, horrifically painful and impossible to imagine.

She couldn’t stand it. He was _hers_. Just like she was his.

The thought rocked her. She didn’t know where to go with it. What to do with it. 

She tucked it away for later and ignored the instinct, listening to the other voice of her history, her experience, of reason that had helped her so reliably for many years.

_Don’t show how much you want someone. Once you do, they’ll disappear. Don’t get attached._

“Uh, mine to... to train with…”

Rey swallowed, a slightly bitter taste filling her mouth.

“Oh... Okay. You want to _train_ with me? Sure.”

She couldn’t see his face, but he sounded slightly confused. Or amused. Or a mixture of both.

“Uh. Yeah. I… I do.” Rey stuttered, confused herself. Why couldn’t she sort herself out? What the fuck was wrong with her? She shook her head slightly, as though she could clear it and shake some sense loose.

Ben gently turned her head back towards his, ducking his chin down until he caught her gaze with his own soft eyes, smiling wider now.

“Rey, I’m sorry, I’m teasing you. I have zero interest in joining a gym or getting personal training of any kind, _especially_ with her. But that then? It was… _super_ hot— _you_ are super hot. And just so you know, you don’t have anything to worry about. At all,” he said, pointedly.

“What? Worry about what? I’m—I’m not worried. About anything.” She turned her head back away from his, staring out through the branches at the empty clearing beyond, grasses rippling in the breeze.

“Of course. But… if you were. Rey—there’s _no other_ Omega for me. No-one else but you. I know you don’t like talking about this—you always seem uncomfortable discussing the future, and maybe you’ll never want what I want—I’m okay with that, as long as I can still be with you. But if there’s any doubt or fear about me— _don’t_. Don’t doubt me. Please. And at the risk of saying too much… you’re it, for me.”

A wave of happiness and gratification flooded through her and went straight to her head. She felt dizzy, as though she’d just downed sweet and fizzy champagne.

She could feel his heart beating behind her; solid, clear and strong. Dependable, loyal and patient.

She could feel her own heart under his hands, full of swirling things; light and dark, sharp and soft. A contradiction. A paradox.

Words were not coming to her. She didn’t know what to say. She didn’t know how she felt, she just knew she was on the precipice of something big. And she was nearly there.

But maybe she could share something.

Give something into his hands.

“Ben, I haven’t told you exactly—I’ve told you bits and pieces. You know I grew up in care. But my parents…”

“Rey, you don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to.”

“I do, I do want to. I think I need to.” She stared down at her hands and at his, holding her.

“My parents... left me at a bus stop when I was four. They said they were going to meet me there after they finished work. But—they never did. They never came back. They left me alone.”

Two strong hands found hers and squeezed gently. He didn’t speak.

It was easier to talk to him when she looked away at the grass, the branches, the sky. It seemed like if she didn’t, if he could see her face, he’d also see her every thought and feeling. He’d see straight through to her vulnerable insides.

Now that she’d started, it wasn’t so bad to continue.

“And then, going from placement to placement, school to school, just taught me to survive. So... I guess, growing up, planning far ahead was never something I did. Or could do. And counting on someone to be there in the future, was not something I could ever rely on. Could trust in.”

A kiss was pressed firmly to the side of her hair, before he spoke carefully and with conviction.

“Rey. You can rely on me. You can _trust_ in me.”

The words floated and settled, like falling leaves finding the ground, simple and bold in their certainty. She stilled.

Could she? Could she trust in this—trust in him? Rely on him?

In a chamber in her heart, deep inside, she was beginning to see there was a _Maybe._ A _Maybe_ that had at some point become larger than the ever-reliable, constant _NO._ And underneath that _Maybe_ , though she couldn’t see it yet, could only feel it, there was a tiny and shining _Yes_ , growing larger every day.

“And Rey… you’re not alone.”

A breath, a beat passed, before the words came to her. And then flowed from her in turn, as she linked her fingers with his.

“Neither are you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this chapter has again just upped the softness to like a 1000 percent... Sorry?


	5. Chapter 5

5\. 

  
  


For the fifth time—well. There was no excuse. Really. But it was not because they were getting off on the thrill of it—definitely not.

  
  


—————

  
  


It was a quiet Monday and Rey was bored. 

It had been a slow but productive morning at the shop; she’d completed her last job by ten and checked her orders, then had time to tidy the front desk and reorganise her storage system. By the time Maz had shown up to go over the books before lunch there was not much else she could do. So with a wave of Maz’s hand, she’d been sent home, Maz muttering cheerfully that she could look after her own shop for a few hours—she wasn’t too old and decrepit yet.

Aimless and having an unexpected afternoon off, Rey had meandered down the main street, relishing the warm sunshine and breeze ruffling her hair, and gazing in at the shop windows as she passed. Not thinking overly of where she was going, she wasn’t surprised when she ended up at Ben’s apartment. She’d only just been there that morning, but there was nothing wrong with visiting twice in one day. 

Letting herself in, she’d pottered around his living room. She didn’t feel like watching TV, or reading a book. There were some small projects back at her place she could tinker on, but she couldn’t be bothered to go there. 

Rey scanned the leftovers in the fridge before closing it listlessly with a frown; none of the food caught her interest. She wasn’t hungry, although there was a subtle and annoying emptiness growling in her stomach, like it needed attention. 

She drifted to Ben’s closet, raising his shirts to her nose and huffing his scent like she could swallow it down, before guiltily shoving them back and closing the door. 

She fidgeted restlessly. The apartment was too quiet and still. 

At a loss, she sat herself down at the kitchen bench, eyes landing on a neat collection of objects beside the fruit bowl. A USB was hidden by a few pens and rubber bands. She picked up the little piece of metal and plastic and stared at it. 

This could be for Ben’s work. In fact, maybe it was something important. He could be in the middle of a big meeting before realising he didn’t have it. 

It would be good to bring it to him. Just in case. 

Feeling a surge of purpose, Rey gathered her bag and was out the door. By the time she made it to his office building, one bus trip and forty minutes later, she was feeling quietly confident and happy about her decision. 

Walking onto his floor, she was surprised to see mostly empty seats except for a few people working in the far back corner. She normally would have presented herself at the front desk where the admin officer sat and waited for Ben to come get her, but it looked like that wasn’t happening today. She’d just have to show herself to his office. She’d been there once before with him when he’d had to drop something off, so thankfully she could still mostly remember the way. 

She cautiously tiptoed past desks and through the office, down a corridor to Ben’s room, ‘Senior Accounts Manager’ listed on a sign on the door. A frosted glass panel to the side hinted at vague shapes within. 

Crossing her fingers that she wouldn’t be unlucky, she knocked and hearing a muffled “Yep”, opened the door and poked her head in. 

A large wooden desk faced the door; solid and wide, on which two computer monitors and a sprawling mound of files rested. A tall bookcase and bench stood to the side, with an upholstered leather and metal chair empty in front. Adding some natural light, the back wall was broken up by a tinted window which looked down onto leafy trees lining the road and the neighbouring office block. 

The room was neat but plain; professional in all aspects. 

Sitting in a large office chair behind the desk, Ben was staring at one of his monitors, typing rapidly on his keyboard, a frown on his face. 

Rey smirked to herself. This was exactly what she’d imagined a big, serious Alpha businessman would look like in his office. And he looked perfect. 

A second passed and he glanced up, still lost in thought, when he saw her and started with a jolt. 

“Rey!” He smiled toothily, ruining the serious Alpha effect, before his eyes grew wide. “Oh shit—did I forget we were meeting up?”

“Oh, no,” she reassured him, feeling unsure herself. “Is this a bad time?”

“Not at all,” he said warmly. 

Shutting the door behind her, she almost skipped over to him behind his desk, where he stood up at her arrival and his hands found her jaw, pulling her in for a gentle kiss. 

“You okay? Is everything alright?” He scanned her face, looking concerned. 

“Yes, it’s all good. I got the rest of the day off.”

Ben hummed in appreciation. “That’s great.”

“Yeah—I went back to your apartment and bummed around there for a while. But I uh, I thought you might need this.” 

Exhibiting the ostensible purpose of her presence, she held out the USB in her hand and offered it to him. He took it from her and examined it carefully, the corner of his mouth lifting. 

“Uh, thanks. But you know, this is _your_ memory stick.”

“Oh. Is it?” She asked, innocently. 

“Mmhm.” 

“Oh. Well. Silly me,” she said airily. “ _Anyway_ , seeing as I’m here now… I don’t suppose you’d like to have lunch with me, if you haven’t eaten already?”

Ben chuckled as he sat down, pulling her between his legs and wrapping his arms around her waist, kissing her stomach lightly. 

“I’d love to, but I just have to quickly finish something first, if you don’t mind…?” 

“Of course. Where is everyone by the way?” She gestured with an arm flung towards the door. 

“Oh, there’s something on. Someone’s promotion party lunch or something.” He gave her a squeeze and shrugged, looking supremely unconcerned. “I don’t know. I’m probably supposed to go, but I’d much rather have lunch with you. I’ve just got to submit this last file online. It’ll only take a minute, sorry,” he said, grimacing apologetically. 

“No problem,” Rey smiled back. Waiting here with him and surrounded by his warm scent was not a hardship. Plus there were plenty of things to look at in his office. She hadn’t had the chance to explore it last time she visited. 

She wandered around his room, gazing up at the bookcase. While the shelves were packed with bulky folders and reference books, there didn’t seem to be anything personal or knick-knacky. The only non-book object on the shelf was a plain white mug resting on the bench, some dregs of coffee still inside. No doubt it would seem tiny in his large hands. 

She pulled a few folders out and flicked through them idly. _Something something centralised client data, something something performance updates._ Boring. 

She moved back to the front of the room and sat on the chair in front of Ben’s desk, drumming her fingers against the arms, watching him as he worked, his eyes flicking between the computer monitors to the side. 

He looked especially delicious today. So intense as he concentrated though. Stern. Like a boss. He tapped at his keyboard lightly, frowning again. 

He smelled delicious too. All pure musky Alpha, soothing and rich. 

Lightly striped fabric strained across his shoulders, buttons barely holding the front together; one large yawn and he’d shred it like the hulk, buttons flying. His royal blue tie had been loosened around his neck and a glimpse of his lower throat could be seen. Perfect for rubbing her face against. His suit coat hung over the back of his chair. It probably smelled really nice too, she mused. 

Rey crossed her legs.

Then uncrossed them and crossed them again the other way. 

A silver clock hung on the wall. It made a very subtle ticking sound, if she listened very carefully. Like it was counting down to some hidden bomb, waiting to go off. 

She brought her attention back to Ben's desk. Long panels at the front ran from the upper edge down to about half a foot from the ground, blocking her view of him under the table, a fact which was suddenly supremely frustrating to her. 

She wanted to ogle at his pants stretched across thick thighs; leisurely examine the bulge at his lap. 

She daydreamed for a few minutes, imagining traipsing over to plonk herself down on him and pulling him in to kiss him senseless. 

Or _maybe_ , she imagined, she’d crawl around and under his desk and position herself in front of him on her knees, peeking up at him with a coy smile. She’d teasingly undo his pants and draw his cock out and into her hand, feeling it rapidly hardening, the thickness of his knot already hinted at the base. 

_Then_ , she continued, squirming in her seat, she’d place him against her mouth and lick and lap across the tip, like she was catching dripping ice cream. She’d swallow him down in one go, causing Ben’s knees to bang up against the desk in shock. 

A squeak from the chair brought her back to the room guiltily, Ben glancing up at her with a smile before returning to his computer monitor, hopefully none the wiser. 

Rey scratched her gland idly and leaning over, grabbed a pen from his desk. It was shiny and black and had a nicely rounded clicker. It looked soft. She traced her lips with it a few times, like she was putting on lipstick. 

A sharp indrawn breath this time, forced her attention back to Ben.

He was staring at her mouth, transfixed, his hands frozen above his keyboard. 

“Sorry,” she murmured, dropping the pen back onto the desk. She really shouldn’t play around with his stuff and distract him. 

He tracked his eyes up her face, leaving heat in her cheeks, before he turned away to glare at his computer. 

“Okay. That’s enough,” Ben sighed, clicking on his mouse a few times and pushing the mound of papers to the side. 

Rey sat up, pleased. “Oh? Finished already?”

“No, but I’ve done as much as I can do with you sitting there looking like that.”

“Like what?” She paused.

“Like something good enough to eat,” Ben growled, eyeing her. 

She felt a drip of slick pooling in her underwear. His scent was rising too. 

"Is that so?”

“It is.” 

As they talked, Rey stood up and slowly walked around his desk. At this last statement, he grabbed her hips and tugged her to him, pulling her down onto his lap. 

“I was thinking… maybe we don't have to go right this second.” Rey brushed her hand through his dark hair, twirling a strand in her fingertips. 

“We don’t?”

“No. I think there’s still something very important you need to do.” 

“Oh?”

She shifted in his lap, finding the telltale growing hardness, before glancing up at him again, catching his eye.

“Ah—I see.” 

Smirking slightly, he pulled her face close to his. Staring at her intensely, he leaned forward and finally touched her lips with his, cradling her jaw with his wide palms. He kissed her slowly and sweetly, leaving her mouth only to rub his face against her neck and gland, scenting her with already panting breaths, before returning to her lips roughly. 

Rey sighed in contentment against him. He tasted even better than he smelled, which was no small feat. 

She ground herself against him, feeling sparks of pleasure flare inside her like fire from flint with every tilt of her hips. It was warming and thrilling. And then like a dry kindling on a cold day, the fire broke out. Their kiss grew frantic, one hand groping at her breast, the other snaking into her jeans and beneath her underwear, sliding through the slick that had long been gathering as she’d stared at him. 

She let out a moan that she buried in his shoulder as one thick finger pushed its way inside her and his thumb brushed gently against her clit. 

“Do you know, ever since we were at your work that day, I’ve had a fantasy of fucking you over this desk,” he murmured roughly in her ear.

She pulled back and panted, dazed at the thought. 

She remembered that day. And then the time in the forest. She couldn’t stop thinking about it. The things they’d done, the things they’d said. It was the most alive she’d felt in years. Her body had been singing, just as it was now. 

Before she could reconsider, she blurted it out. 

“Can you?” 

His fingers stilled inside her. 

“Can I, what?”

She took a deep breath before continuing, taking the chance.

“Can you—fuck me. Now. Over this desk.”

She snuck a glance up at him. His eyes were blazing. 

“Jesus, Rey. Are you serious?” 

She didn’t think. She had to keep going, or she’d lose her nerve. 

“Yes. Do it. Quickly.”

“Oh, fuck,” he groaned. 

In one rapid move, Rey found herself pushed up and laid with her chest flat on his desk, head resting on a pile of papers and her pants undone and pulled down to her lower calves. A few seconds later, a trembling hand yanked her underwear to her thighs and with a pause only to rearrange her arms on the desk, she suddenly felt his cock slam deep inside, jolting her forwards with a loud groan, pens rattling on the table. 

“Shh—you have to be quiet, sweetheart. Can you do that?” He murmured into her ear.

She nodded jerkily, exulting and turned on beyond belief. 

With one powerful thrust he started moving, immediately followed by another and another. Rey's jaw slackened at the forceful motion. She’d asked for it to be quick and he delivered. 

If he wanted her to be quiet, she’d try her best, but the noisiest things were the sound of his hips slapping against her ass, shaking the desk with every move, and the subtle squelching of his cock sliding through her slick. It was filthy and shameless and so, so good.

He worked away at her diligently, creating a rough rhythm that had her soon rocking back onto him, tilting her hips up with every glide forwards. His hands squeezed hers before holding them to the edge of the desk, using her grip as leverage to pull himself deeper and harder inside her. 

“That’s it. So perfect and quiet. You wouldn’t want anyone to stumble in and see me fucking you, would you?” he whispered, in between laboured breaths. 

He must have felt the effect his words had on her, as they kept coming, just as his thrusts pounded her further and faster against the desk, rapidly bringing her closer to climax. 

“They’d see what a good Omega you are. Here to deliver my special lunchtime treat—just for me.”

Rey scrunched her eyes closed, mouth open as she lost herself in the images, the words, just as her Alpha panted in her ear, a vague sense of him growing inside her but soon insensate to anything but her overflowing peak. 

Behind her, Ben rutted and bucked, jiggling her body as easily as though she was a ragdoll to manipulate and position to his will. One, two, three more times, before he paused, gasping and grunting roughly. Tingles spread all through her body as lips mouthed gently over her neck, licking savagely over her gland and sending a final round of shudders through them both. 

Silence and stillness settled. 

Until a groan forced it way out of his lips. 

“Shit.” 

“What?” she sighed dreamily, head resting on her hands, body limp and sated and feeling just right. 

“I—I knotted.” 

The words held and lingered for a moment, before they registered in her mind. The added stretch and tight pressure inside her confirmed his statement, plugging up the growing warmth of his contributions deep inside. 

She felt baffled for a moment. Of course he knotted. Why wouldn’t he? 

She blinked and looked around her, noticing the paperwork and folders she rested on and the dual computer monitors in the corner of her eye. 

Oh. Right. _Work._ They were currently at his office, where anyone could want to speak to him. Plus she didn’t think she’d locked the door as she came in... 

“I’m so sorry Rey. I’ll try really hard to make it go down quickly, I’ll—” 

“No, it’s okay. I could have reminded you and I didn’t.” 

She should feel panicked right now. She should be frustrated or annoyed with him. 

But no. She felt nothing of the sort. A calm rightness had settled over her. 

“But it’s my responsibility. My knot.” 

“Ben—it’s really okay.”

“You can’t possibly have wanted me to knot you here—” He stopped as she looked away, cheeks flushing further. But there was no hiding from him. 

“Ah. Maybe you _do_.” 

She covered her blushing face in her hands and leant her head back on the desk. What had become of her? She couldn’t say a love of knotting in inappropriate times and places was all Ben’s problem; it seemed that she had developed the same condition. 

Careful hands away pulled hers away, bringing her to sit back on his lap, knot tugging as he arranged her.

“Rey,” he chuckled. “It’s okay. I feel it too.” 

Curious, a small smile on her lips, she turned to look at him, when there came a noise outside.

Footsteps.

And talking. 

They were muffled, but sounded like they were getting closer. 

Both stilled and turned to watch the door, listening, just as the footsteps stopped. 

They couldn’t see anyone through the frost glass panel, but surely they were nearly right outside.

“—I’ll check with Solo.” 

Someone answered, but was too quiet to hear.

“Well, I thought he would—”

The conversation continued, although half of the chat was unintelligible.

“Did you get to the—” 

She strained her ears but couldn’t hear more.

“—he should know. I’ll go check with him now if he’s—”

Rey glanced back at Ben, just as he looked at her, eyes wide and lips pressed tight together. A sense of heat was once again setting her heart racing.

He pulled her back slightly and whispered in her ear. 

“He might... come in. Hux. The project manager. He’s a douche. But it’ll be fine. I’ll make sure he doesn’t say anything.”

A bubbly feeling spread through her, sparking her nerves into a sense of dread. Or was it excitement. She could hardly tell. Maybe it was both. 

Rey looked around the room, eyes landing on Ben’s large and imposing desk. A glimmer of a possibility began to emerge, no doubt from the same little devil dancing around her brain that had helped her out in previous occasions. 

“No, I—I have an idea.”

“Rey…”

“All the last times have worked out fine, haven’t they?”

Ben sighed again, before smirking. “Alright, what’s your cunning plan this time?”

“Well, we need to lower the seat—” Rey tilted over at an angle, reaching under the chair to the leaver on the side and pulling up hard. The chair dropped them both down with one quick glide, Ben’s knees tilting up higher at the change in angle.

“But how can that help—?”

She kicked off her slip-on shoes, then reached down to pull off her jeans and underwear and throw them in a pile under the side of the desk out of the way.

“Like this!” 

Rey slowly leaned forwards, all the way down until she finally rested her chest on Ben's legs, her shoulders and head hanging over the front of his knees, her own bare legs hanging down to either side of Ben’s hips and framing where he was still locked tight at her centre.

The tension inside the room grew, all the while the conversation continued outside the door. 

“Now, wheel us forward!”

“Huh?” 

“Quick!”

With a squeak of the wheels, Ben started to hesitantly walk the chair forwards, Rey bent double on his lap. 

“You—really want to…?” He sounded incredulous. 

“Yes!”

She twisted her head slightly to check the desk. She’d fit. Just. And what an ingenious solution. She felt almost proud of herself and her creativity. 

Ben groaned and murmured something to himself. “Alright, if you want to do this, you have to stay quiet, okay? No making any noises under there. Just be a good Omega and wait out my knot, hmm?” 

_Oh. My God._

She could feel her face flushing red up her neck and ears. It must be the blood from tilting her face upside down going to her head. 

At that moment, the conversation outside seemed to be drawing to a close, with the footsteps appearing to get closer still as Hux finished up his chat. 

With a last little movement, Ben scooted the chair forwards as far as he could go, until she was completely covered by the desk above and in front of her. 

“You alright under there?” While his voice was quieter and somewhat muffled, she could still hear him quite clearly. 

“Yep!” she squeaked.

It was dark and there wasn’t much space, but it was actually kind of cozy, in a weird way, lying on Ben’s legs, resting her head on her hands balancing on his knees, feeling the comforting position of his cock and knot still locked inside. Her bare legs and butt felt a little cold and strange, but it was nothing she couldn't handle. 

“I still can't believe… what the fuck is happening,” he muttered to himself from above, rubbing her hips, just as a knock came on the door with a raised voice from outside. 

“Solo?” 

“What?” Ben called back. 

And with that, the door burst open and someone sauntered inside, shoes squeaking slightly. 

“You _are_ still here. What are you doing? Everyone has gone out to that lunch thing.” His voice was higher and a little snooty. English as well, from his well-rounded and enunciated tones. 

“I just needed to do something urgent.” Ben’s voice in contrast had her shivering again. It was deep and full with just a slight sharp edge. 

“What?”

“Just something unexpected came up. I got into a bit of a sticky situation.”

Rey pressed her lips together to stop the involuntary giggle. 

“What? Was it the Nielsen file?”

“No, no. Something else. Hux, what do you want?” 

Silence. Rey could hear him shuffle closer until he stopped what was surely just a few feet away in front of her. She stared down at Ben’s shiny leather shoes, listening.

“Have you—?” A pause for a moment, before he continued. “Has someone been in here?” 

_Oh shit._

Her heart beat louder in her chest. She held her breath.

She couldn’t smell what designation this Hux was, although that was likely because she was trapped under the desk, also trapping the smell somewhat, so all she could smell was Ben and her. And sex. 

Above her, Ben made an attempt at confusion. 

“Huh? Of course someone has been in here—I’m in here and now so are you, although I’d prefer you weren’t.” 

“It just... smells funny.” 

Some noises above her made her almost wish she could see him, because it sounded like sniffing. Was he actually sniffing?

“Oh fuck off, you stink too.”

“No, not like your normal smell. This is like, someone’s rolled around in a bath of… fruit, or something.” He said it, as though it was something disgusting. 

“Maybe it’s your new aftershave. Eau de creep?”

“Actually—it smells like that Omega you’ve been seeing. What’s her name?”

“Rey.” Ben said her name like he was savouring it in his mouth. 

“That’s her. Did she pop in for a little visit?” A squeak of his shoes came from the floor just in front of her. 

“Ah—yes. She did come. She came not too long ago.” One wide hand rested on the base of her back, a thick thumb stroking gently, even as he presumably shuffled some papers with his other hand on the desk above her. 

“Oh?”

“Yeah. She had to give me something I’d forgotten—I got into a bit of a... tight spot.” 

A bubble of hysterical laughter was again threatening to burst from her mouth. She quietly brought a fist up to her lips just as she felt Ben’s hand squeeze her hip. 

“Right,” his colleague said, sounding suspicious. 

“Hux, what do you want?” Ben sighed, impatiently. “Because if you’ve got nothing of value to add, then you can kindly get lost.”

A scoff came from in front of the desk. “What a pleasant character you are, Solo. I’ll get to the point—”

“Finally.” 

“—Do you have the figures for the Samson account yet? We’d like to talk to Akbar about the latest offer, but we’re just waiting on you.”

“Hux—I know that. And it does take longer than a day to go through the process, no matter how much you nag me.”

They continued in that vein for the next minute or two, Rey losing interest and letting Ben’s voice wash over her. She had no idea what he was discussing, but it sounded complicated.

“—well, that wouldn’t work, because if we want to incorporate the deal with those added extras…”

He sounded so hot. Who’d have thought that talking business would do it for her? Maybe it was just how competent he was. How confident he seemed. Such an Alpha. And going about his work while still _knotted_ to her.

 _Hoo boy._ This was becoming a problem. 

She rested her head down over his knees, admiring his shoes, watching him shuffle them slightly. She kissed the top of his leg gently, before biting softly at his kneecap. With a twitch, Ben’s cock released one unexpected last spurt of cum inside her, her cunt clenching in response. 

A groan, quickly disguised as a cough came from above. 

She grinned to herself. This was fun. 

“You alright there, Solo?”

“Uh-ha,” he coughed. “Yeah. Fine.”

“Something stuck in your throat?”

“Ah, yeah, something’s stuck. But uh, it’s fine. It’s good.”

“You know, it really does smell funny in here. You sure you didn’t have a bit of an afternoon delight with your Omega, hey?” If Rey could see his face, no doubt he was winking or smirking. 

Ben huffed. “ _Actually_ , now that you mention it, _yes_ , in fact we did—we had a furious bout of vigorous sex while a team of people worked _right outside_ , what do _you_ think?” He asked, dry as a bone. 

Rey’s jaw dropped, heart racing. The balls on that man. She had to give him that. 

A sigh came from the other side of the desk. 

“Okay, okay. No need to get shirty. I’ll drop it.”

“Praise the lord. Now it’s time for you to fuck off.” The sounds of paper moving around on the desk and some clicking on keys made it seem like Ben was giving him the business equivalent of time-to-leave closing-up-shop signals. 

Thankfully Hux got the message. 

“Charming as ever, Solo. Well, I’ll see you later with that file.”

Footsteps moved away from the desk and further out the room, until with a creak and a click, the door closed once more. They waited until they couldn’t hear him any longer before Rey released a breath, and Ben sighed loudly in turn. 

“Fuck.”

He slowly wheeled the chair out so that Rey’s head was finally clear of the desk and delicately pulled her back up so she was seated upright on his lap and leaning against his chest. 

“Rey—are you okay?” He turned her head, eyes searching hers.

She nodded, and her smile turned into a single bubble of laughter, finally releasing the tension she’d held desperately onto while hidden.

“Yes. I’m fine.”

“Are you sure? You didn’t hurt your back, or your hips, lying like that?” He frowned, hands smoothing down her sides. 

“No, I’m—I’m great.”

And she was. In fact, she was feeling the best she’d had in a long time. The adrenaline pumping through her veins made her feel like she had just done something amazing, like sky-diving or rescuing a puppy from a burning building. Strange, when all she’d done was just lay under an Alpha’s desk still hanging by his knot while he argued with his co-worker. 

Ben nodded back at her, lips curving for a minute, eyes dark. “Good. Because can I just say—that? Was the _new_ sexiest thing I'd ever seen, or done. God, Rey. Your mind.”

He pulled her in tight, his thick arms winding around her, breathing deeply out of his nose onto her neck. Rey chuckled again and let herself relax and luxuriate in the satisfaction, resting her head back against his shoulder.

She did have the best ideas. And this one had worked out amazingly. 

A deep rumbling purr vibrated through his throat and chest, against her ear. She snuggled further into him, eyes lazily glancing over his desk, papers, his work computer, and imagined the scene from his perspective. 

And then she noticed it. 

It was stuck in the corner of his desk beside the second monitor to the left. 

It was small; about the size of a playing card. It looked like it had been printed on regular copy paper and then cut out and affixed to the wall with sticky tape. 

A photo of her. 

She was grinning widely at the camera, sun in her eyes causing her to squint slightly, golden-hour light picking up the few red and gold tinges in her hair. If she guessed, it was from a night out with Ben a few weeks ago. 

“I didn’t know you had a photo of me here,” she said, blinking at it. 

Ben glanced over.

“What? Oh, yeah. Um. I do.”

He must have printed it out himself. But she was pretty sure there wasn’t a printer hiding in his apartment. 

“Did you—print that out at work?” 

Ben ducked his head to play with her shirt.

“Uh, yeah. I just… wanted a physical copy.”

Rey bit her lip as an image came to her mind; him saving the photo on his computer and resizing it, sending it to the nearest office printer and quietly hovering over it before someone could find it. Squeezing two ginormous fingers into a borrowed pair of scissors and carefully cutting along the edges, tongue poking out the side of his mouth as he concentrated, then attaching tape to the border and sticking it to its current position. 

Rey turned and stared up at him. A flush seemed to be crawling up his neck, even as he looked back up at her, raising his chin, a determined glint in his eye. 

“You look beautiful, as you always do. But you also look happy. So I love it.” He said, shrugging, eyes looking down at her almost defiantly, as though daring her to have a problem with it. 

She didn’t. 

That swirling soft and golden feeling was growing again, filling her with light and floating her up to the stars. 

This man—this big, strong _Alpha_ … was the sweetest, most caring person she had ever met. 

Everything he did, in all ways he acted, showed his thoughtfulness towards her. He was so patient, never pushing for more, always understanding. While he may have been frustrated with her at times, he never took it out on her. He was willing to move at her speed and go along with her ideas, no matter how crazy they seemed.

Even today he had followed her lead, when he could have easily pulled the Alpha card and called all the shots. But he never did.

He _never_ did. 

And just like that, the thought came to her.

It was like a thunderclap in its intensity, but with the simple rightness of a lost screw in a machine finally clicking into place. Like it was always meant to be there. And always belonged. 

She loved him. 

He was her mate. 

And she was his.

The thought didn’t scare her. 

It didn’t surprise her, and she didn’t shy from it. 

It was like she had already known for a long time and it had simply been resting in the corner of her eye since the beginning. She only had to finally gather the courage to glance its way and—there it was. 

She felt calm and secure. Safe. And so glad she was here, finally. It was freeing and exciting and comforting all in one.

And given what he had said to her in the forest a week ago, his words full of determination and fire, she hoped he felt similarly, although a small piece of doubt would likely remain until they talked about it fully. 

The only thing—the only thing, now, was, how was she to tell him? How did she bring it up? 

_Oh, by the way Ben, I’ve realised that I love you and that I want you to be my mate and I’ll be yours. So if you’d like to bite me anytime soon, that’d be A-OK with me. Also, pass the sugar please?_

She cringed at the thought. She’d never said anything like that before, to anyone. And it was something she never thought she’d _want_ to say. 

She would just have to leave it to come up naturally somehow. Maybe he might ask her or say it first. 

She looked up and met his eyes, smiling back at him.

She’d find a way. 

Surely. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, we're nearly there... one more to go! Thanks QueenOfCarrotFlowers for the beta! <3
> 
> Thank so much again for reading and the kudos/comments! Reading your comments is my absolute favourite part and gives me encouragement to keep on writing when the going gets tough! :) <3


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s finally the end! I hope this extra long one makes up for the wait. 
> 
> Special thanks to QueenOfCarrotFlowers for all the helpful advice and suggestions on this! <3 
> 
> I don’t normally share songs but I found this gorgeously romantic and joyous song (see link at the end) which is the perfect piece for the super fluffiness of this story! It’ll be in a rom-com in no time, I’m sure.
> 
> Enjoy! :D

  
+1  
  
  


After that, well there was no hope for them. 

  
  
————---  
  
  


“It’ll be fine, I promise.” 

“You’re sure?”

“Of course. We’ve been through a lot—what’s the worst that can happen?” 

Rey refrained from mentioning the multiple disaster scenarios running through her mind as she stared up at the impressive house in front of her, her stomach churning, restlessness running through her. She took a deep breath, focusing instead on the warm hand wrapping around hers and Ben’s reassuring smile, his scent both rich and comforting. 

The Organa-Solo home was a large two-story dwelling on a sprawling property about an hour out of the suburbs; close to the city, but with enough space to spread out. And spread out it did. The numerous windows gleaming brilliantly in the early afternoon sun and wide porch wrapping around the front only added to its presence. It hit the elusive combination of stately yet homely. The enormous outbuilding to the side of the main house looked to hold at least half a dozen cars, counting the number of doors. A faded red basketball hoop was nailed to the side of the wall round the back. 

What a life it must have been to grow up at this place, Rey thought wistfully.

With a squeeze of her hand, Ben led her off the car-filled gravel driveway onto a stone path winding around and behind the house, following the colourful lanterns that hinted the way, until they stopped at the edge of an expansive lawn. Rey raised her eyebrows as she surveyed the scene. 

If Leia thought this was a simple and informal gathering, Rey could hardly imagine what she considered formal. 

The lawn was currently set up with at least half a dozen wooden tables and chairs scattered around, beautifully decorated with sprigs of leaves and flowers in tiny vases, twinkling lights and paper lanterns hung above them in the branches at the edge of the treeline. Groups of people stood chatting at the tables or around the edges of the trees, the laughter and talk only just louder than the music playing in the background. 

An elegantly-dressed older woman holding court at the centre of a pack paused mid-sentence as they caught her eye, face immediately brightening. 

“Rey!” Leia called across the crowded grass, excusing herself from a tall lady with purple hair. 

“You’re the favourite already, it seems,” Ben murmured in Rey’s ear, smirking. 

Leia finally reached them, beaming, and pulled a shocked Rey into a firm hug, her comforting and slightly familiar Alpha scent settling around her.

“Oh, look at you. You’re so lovely, just as I remembered,” she said to Rey’s embarrassment, pulling her back to look over her kindly. 

“Thanks for inviting me, Ms Organa.”

“Please—call me Leia. And of course you were invited!” she said, squeezing Rey’s hand tightly. From behind her came a loudly cleared throat.

“Aren’t you going to greet your only child and son, Mom?” 

“And Ben—it’s good to see you too, honey,” Leia turned and pulled him down by his head to place a loud kiss on his cheek before turning back to Rey eagerly. 

“Well, now that I’ve finally got you here, I can’t wait to talk more. Ben has kept you quite to himself,” she said, turning to her son and pursing her lips in mock displeasure. “And before you say anything else, we must have you over for dinner soon!” 

Rey nodded, happy to comply. She found herself not wanting to deny her anything. 

A slightly grizzly but nevertheless distinguished older man ambled over from his place at the barbecue where he’d been chatting with a friend, beer in hand. 

“Happy birthday, Dad,” Ben said, nodding at his father and handing over the wrapped whisky. 

“Thanks, kid.” Han shook his son’s offered hand briefly and smiled at the bottle, before quickly glancing over to Rey, a twinkle in his eye. “And who’s this? Ben, I think I’ve told you before that kidnapping is illegal.”

“Ha. Funny. Rey, this is my Dad. Dad—Rey.” Ben gestured between them both, Rey murmuring her greetings and birthday congratulations. 

“Remember I told you about Rey, Han.” Leia nudged her husband. 

“Of course I remember. You only mention her and Ben nearly every second day.” His voice was gruff but was softened by his twinkling eyes. 

“Well, I’m glad to meet you, Rey. From what I’ve heard you seem like a smart one. So what on earth happened to get you together with my kid here then?” 

Ben rolled his eyes, huffing. 

“Just ignore him Rey, I always do,” Leia said, patting her arm. 

“Well, I can just see that he got pretty lucky and I don’t know how he did it. He certainly wasn’t that smooth growing up!” Han smirked at his son, looking like he was about to elaborate on some embarrassing points, but Ben interrupted before he could do so.

“Yeah yeah, I don’t know how I did it either. Anyway, old man, we’re going to get something to eat.” He grabbed Rey’s arm and gently pulled her with him. 

Before they took two steps away, Leia shrieked for them to wait, insisting there were a few people Rey simply _must_ meet. 

What followed was twenty minutes of being towed around to a number of Leia and Han’s friends; people who had no doubt known Ben since he was a baby, judging by the stories they told about him. Leia seemed to be particularly enjoying introducing Rey as Ben’s girlfriend, glancing back at her with what felt like a fondness. Rey smiled shyly back, quietly pleased but slightly overwhelmed by all the attention. Ben’s soothing presence at her side was a relief, her body warming whenever his hand brushed the small of her back. 

They met the woman with the unique purple wave through her hair; an Omega named Amilyn. She chatted warmly with them both before proudly showing them pictures of her three grandkids, all a bit gawky but with cute gap-toothed smiles, to which they complimented her on politely. 

A hulking giant of a man with shaggy long hair and a kind smile, gave Ben a firm hug before proceeding to embark in a full monologue on some topic, his accent so strong Rey could barely decipher his words. 

And Lando was a suave and charming Beta, who took great delight in embarrassing Ben by sharing stories of the times Ben refused to get dressed after his bath and had to be chased nude around the house. 

“Oh, you must have been… what was it—twelve, thirteen?” Lando said, smirking.

Ben’s indignant face and scoff cracked into a smile at Rey’s laughter, eyes sparkling and dimples showing. 

Over the last week, Rey had managed to keep things together; keep her feelings under wraps, unsure and uncertain of how to tell Ben, how to talk about what she now knew. And she had succeeded, feelings battened down and waiting patiently. 

But when he smiled—when he _laughed_ , she couldn’t stop staring at him, her heart filled for him. Every beat of her heart seemed desperate to force the words out. 

But how was she to tell him? _Not here. Not now. Not yet._ It had been a common refrain in her mind over the last week. She swallowed it down. _But soon_. 

  
  


————---

  
  
The sun was warm and a slight breeze blew across the yard, although it was doing nothing to cool things down. It seemed to be getting progressively hotter as the afternoon progressed. Rey pulled at the bodice of her sundress. It stuck to her chest as a rivulet of sweat ran down between her breasts. She fanned herself, grateful they had some shade. 

They had eventually found their way over to Finn, Poe and Rose who had positioned themselves on some benches along the side of the yard, under the overhanging trees and close to the food table, which suited Rey just fine. She always liked to be near the snacks; easy access. 

Despite being somewhat nervous and a little antsy still, it was good to see them. They caught up on each other’s news and shared the latest gossip. Finn drew laughs in his impressions of various speakers at his conference from a few weeks ago. And even though Rey had only met Rose once before at Leia’s company gala, she was such a calm and fun presence and fitted so well into their little group, it was hard to forget they hadn’t known the Beta forever. 

A mess of smells swirled through the crowd with the breeze. Mostly Betas, but with what seemed to be equal numbers of Alphas and Omegas. Rey’s nose twitched. It was a bit much. She turned her head into Ben’s shoulder, inhaling his soothing scent that was becoming increasingly tempting as time went on. Today, it was perfectly delectable. 

Rey snuggled into Ben’s side, breathing deeply his woody smoke scent like it was a meal all in itself. Her stomach rumbled. 

She looked down at the plate on her lap. She’d already eaten two and a half massively piled platefuls of meat and potatoes and vibrantly coloured sides. Would it be greedy to go and get more? Probably. Especially since no one else looked like they were going back for thirds. But her belly still felt empty somehow, as though it still was missing something. 

She squirmed in her seat, uncomfortable on the wooden bench. She moved to sit on Ben’s lap, ignoring the glancing smirk from Finn, who was in conversation with another friend of Poe’s, Poe and Rose off mingling elsewhere with their colleagues. 

Rey scratched her neck idly, feeling itchy. 

Ben leaned in and gave her a quick kiss on her cheek, before he froze, and took a deep breath, sniffing her again and holding her tightly. “Rey, you smell—amazing.”

“Uh, thanks?” 

“But, like, even more amazing than usual,” he said, seeming puzzled. 

“Well, you’ve been smelling pretty great today too. Maybe it’s that new body wash offsetting our scents better?”

“No, it’s something different.” He took another deep breath, inhaling and holding it in his lungs, before groaning and turning to stare at her, eyes dark and intent. 

“Rey. Are you... are you going into heat soon?” 

She blinked, her brain pausing as she registered his words. “What?”

“I thought I could smell something last week, but it’s definitely real now.” He nodded, serious. 

“No—it’s not time yet. I still have a month to go!” 

Surely he must be mistaken, or maybe confused. All these scents here...

Ben shrugged. “I know your scent, I know you—you smell like it must be coming soon. Like it’s just around the corner.” He leaned down to nuzzle her shoulder. 

A shiver ran through her. Could it be possible? Right now? Of all the times… Rey thought back to her feelings from the day. It was true that she’d been feeling a little strange all morning. Maybe it was true. 

She’d never spent so much time around an Alpha before—never been scented, or had sex so regularly with one. Maybe this was one of those early heats she had occasionally heard of happening. 

“Shit.” 

She looked quickly around at the crowd of people, about a dozen Alphas and Omegas present at least, alarmed by a new thought. “Do you think anyone else can tell?”

Ben scanned their friends chatting and the others nearby. His answer when it came was slow, but sure. 

“No. It’s very subtle at the moment. I just know your scent so well.” He pressed his nose against her neck, eyes closed for a moment before he stared back intently. “And right now, you smell— _so_ good. Rey, I know you’ve never said, but... would you like me to help you? With your heat?” 

An image flashed through her mind—the two of them lying naked together, knotting and fucking roughly, her face smashed into her pillow, muscly arms wrapped around her tight, pulling her onto him again and again and again. She shivered at the accompanying thoughts firing through her. _Alpha would know what to do. Alpha’s thick cock and knot—fill me up._

“—Of course, if you’re not ready, or if you don’t... want me to, that’s fine.” Ben spoke as though it was an effort for him to get the words out. “If that’s the case, once we leave I’d better—I’d leave you alone. Until it’s over.” 

“I do want you.” 

Rey hardly had to think about it, now that the moment was almost there. Ben’s eyes lifted up to hers. 

“I do want you with me for my heat. Please.” 

He blinked, something passing behind his eyes, then he exhaled and nodded. 

“Well, let’s go home then.” He stood and helped Rey off him, before she grabbed his arm. 

“Wait, it’s—” She looked down at her watch, cringing, “It’s still only been an hour. I don’t want to seem rude. I want to make a good impression.” 

Ben raised his eyebrows. “Rey, you have already—you saw what my mom was like!” 

“Please, let’s stay just a bit longer.” 

“You sure?”

“Of course. It’s not that bad. I can handle it. ”

And she could handle it. At first. 

But as her mind was now acutely aware of every small change, things suddenly felt quite worse; the flush rising up her neck, the emptiness and itchiness inside, legs restless and bouncing, a slow drip of wetness in her underwear. And there was a strange sensitivity in her teeth accompanied by a strangely strong urge to bite. Hard. 

It was nowhere near the insane level of hurt of a full blown unsuppressed heat, thankfully, but it was persistently nagging and annoying, like the sting of an ants’ bite that she couldn’t wait to scratch. 

Over the next few minutes, she tried to cover up her grimace with clenched teeth and a forced smile. But there was no hiding it from Ben. 

“Rey, you said it wasn’t bad! You don’t look comfortable. Can’t we…” He paused, staring at her with a speculative look in his eye. “Can I give you some help now? Just to tide you over for a bit?” 

Rey gaped at Ben. Was he suggesting…

“What— _right here_? Now?” 

“No, not right here.” He raised his eyebrow with a twitch, no doubt picturing it just as she was. “Up in the house,” he said quietly. 

She stared at him, mind whirling. 

“It might help hold it off for a few more hours, so you can stay. If it’s that important to you.” 

“Won’t someone—”

“No one will notice we’ve gone if we’re quick. I can show you my old room,” he said, a glint in his eye. 

The idea started to seem very appealing. The stickiness between her legs was becoming more unpleasant. 

Ignoring any concerns and listening to her instinct clamouring at her to agree, Rey nodded jerkily, body heating even more so at the promise of some relief. 

Standing and pulling her out from under the cover of the trees, Ben towed her through the crowd, hand in hers, nodding at a few people as they passed. Rey tried to smile and avoid catching anyone’s eye. Opening the door to the house, he hurried her through the spacious kitchen and living area and down a corridor, pointing out the large bathroom right next door before stopping in front of another room. 

It took not even three seconds after he pushed the door open before Rey could tell without a doubt that this had been the room of a teenage Alpha.

As she paused on the threshold, a wall of scent hit her. It was pungent and musky; Alpha in the height of a first presentation; all hormones, confusion, rage and longing. 

After the initial shock of the Alpha-bomb, a second note could be detected, faint but still there. Axe body spray. Ben must have used a lot when he lived here. Why teenage Alphas ever felt they needed to double their scents with an added burst of fragrance, was lost on her. 

Rey felt a twinge of sympathy for Leia and Han. As much as they may have attempted to clean and air the room, the scent must have seeped into every wall and furnishing. No amount of Febreze could cover it. 

She stared around at the room. It was large for a child’s room, with a queen-sized bed in the centre with a nondescript navy cover and a small desk to the side covered by a lamp. A bookcase held a tidy stack of books, many fantasy or crime-thrillers, judging by the colourful pictures and bold, stark fronts on the spine. 

There were a few faded posters still stuck on the cupboard doors. A spitfire flying over green fields, a sulky and emo-looking band and The Matrix and Lord of the Rings film posters. 

“Nice, uh, room.” Rey smirked at Ben, waving a hand in front of her nose to disperse the dormant stink, her discomfort momentarily forgotten in the face of the overwhelming Alphaness. 

“Thanks,” he said, dryly as he followed her, closing the door behind him. “Sorry about the smell. I spent most of my time here, trying to ignore my _horrible_ parents who I hated and dreaming of the time I could escape. Just about smothered myself in deodorant to impress Omegas. I didn’t present until I was 16.” He looked around, shaking his head and rolling his eyes. 

“Did you ever have any visitors in this room?” 

“Visitors?” 

“Yeah. You know, _visitors_?” Rey wiggled her eyebrows to make the point extra clear. 

“Oh!” Ben barked a harsh laugh. “Ha. No. Not that kind of visitor. I don’t think I even had a full conversation with an Omega without blushing or stammering until half way through college,” he said, smiling wryly.

“Really? You?”

“Yes, really. And thank you for the compliment.” He pulled her close and nuzzled her neck. “I was just… so awkward and huge and like one of those gangly dogs with giant ears and too long legs that I kept tripping over.” 

“I love your ears.” She pushed his hair back to admire them, smiling fondly up at his bemused expression. 

“Thank you. And all I can say is that never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined I’d ever get _a date_ with a person like you, let alone have come up to my bedroom. That I’d have such a smart, funny, beautiful Omega, willing to talk to me, spend time with me…,” he said, grabbing her hips tightly, “let alone, sleep with me, would have seemed impossible.” 

“I don’t think I would ever have imagined you either,” she said, smoothing her hands over his chest and meaning every word. 

As Rey adjusted to the room, the itchiness and sense of heat within her grew again. Having had enough of talking and feeling needy, she seized Ben’s face and pulled him down into a rough kiss. 

And it was like never before. His soft mouth and rich and full scent immediately soothed her; promising safety and home. _Alpha is here. Alpha can help me._

In one smooth move, Ben lifted her up in his arms, his mouth finally breaking from hers to trail down her shoulder and over on her gland in a line of fire, causing her toes to curl up and a gasp to escape her lips. Her insides felt squirmy and restless, the slick building up in her underwear. She pressed herself against the sizable bulge tenting Ben’s pants, desperate for what was inside. 

“That’s enough. Quickly—please,” she whined, kicking off her flats. 

Ben let her slide down his body so her feet were unsteadily resting back on the floor, then breathing heavily he sat down on the bed, fumbling as he undid his fly. He scooted back, resting on his elbows and pulled out his cock, already swollen and thick. 

The sight was arresting; her large Alpha with his long-sleeved shirt rolled up around his strong forearms, fully dressed except for his hard cock sticking up and out of his pants and bobbing gently with his fumbling. 

“C’mere, sweetheart. I’m all yours.”

Rey couldn’t wait a second longer. She climbed up after him, pulled her dress up and underwear aside, and sank down onto him in one smooth slide, closing her eyes in pleasure. It normally took a few moments to adjust to him; that stretching and slight pinching feeling that never really went away. But this time, she was so ready he slid inside her as easily as a hot knife through butter. 

Her breath caught as she paused, taking it all in.

She was so aware of his cock inside her; hard, thick and hot, it was as though she could map every inch as her inner muscles gripped him reflexively. 

But more than that; she was aware of _him_ —of his eyes dark and searing in their intensity, staring up at her as though she held the secret to everything—and he was a mere acolyte hanging on to her every word, every expression, every sign. His biceps were tense as he gripped her thighs, fingers tight, holding on like he never wanted to let go. 

She felt precious. And like the most powerful person in the world. 

A feeling of impatience washed over her. With a flex of her hips, her body took over with a slow roll, savouring every second of delicious friction at her core. The heat of him was perfection. She dragged out the gentle slide for as long as she could, before her body demanded more and with a shudder she gave in. Rey slammed herself back down on him, resting her hands on Ben’s shoulders for balance as he helped lift and pull her down, grinding her clit against his pelvis with every fall. 

“That’s it. Use me,” Ben said, teeth gritted and eyes flashing. 

She could almost cry from how good it was. How right it felt, how she belonged there with him. Rey closed her eyes again, lost in the sensations and the accompanying sounds of the room.

The bedframe rocked with their movements, the desk beside it knocking against the wall, rattling the door. A distant part of her mind noted that they were probably being too loud, but right now, Rey couldn't give a shit. She continued rocking faster and faster, feeling something warm and light building and growing. A scratch and click from behind her was only a passing sound, quickly covered by her panting gasps and the creaks from the mattress and bedframe.

Ben moved his head slightly and stared past her, frowning slightly.

“Uh,” he groaned, “Wait, Rey. The door—” 

“Huh?” 

Blinking out of her momentary haze, she turned her head to look. The door must have slipped from the latch hole. It now was wide open, showing a view into the empty corridor outside. 

“Sorry—I forgot there’s no lock. Dad took it off after a stupid argument,” Ben said, grimacing. “I’ll get us up to close it.” He moved as though to sit up and lift them. 

At the sudden change in angle, sparks of pleasure fired through her. 

“No—don’t. I can’t stop now. Nearly there,” Rey gasped, breathed against his neck. 

And she couldn’t say what it was, but the thought of continuing with the door open, where anyone could see them, only added to the warmth growing in her center. 

“Fuck,” Ben groaned, eyes blazing up at her as though he could hear the thoughts racing through her head. “Do you like that? You do? Well, get on with it then.”

And what else could she do but follow his instructions, good Omega that she was. So Rey leaned forward and continued her rhythm like she had never stopped. 

And in the end, she only lasted a few more rough rocks, before she threw her head back and shuddered, biting her lip to stop crying out. Shocks reverberated through her body and her vision whitened with how tightly she clenched her eyes shut. 

Like diving into a cool swimming pool on a summer’s day, she immediately felt relief, limbs loosening, muscles relaxing. 

Beneath her, she was distantly aware of Ben groaning and his cock twitching, emptying inside her and knot inflating, adding to the soft feeling floating through her. 

With a sigh, he drew her down to rest on his chest, Rey gratefully letting herself collapse on him, her head finding its natural home beneath his chin. She listened to the soft rumble coming from Ben’s chest, feeling like her itch had finally been scratched, her nerves settled and sleeping, his knot finally caught tight where it belonged. 

“How do you feel? Any better?” Ben murmured in her ear. 

“Much. Thanks.” 

If this was what she had to look forward to in spending her heat with an Alpha—with Ben, she couldn’t wait. 

A chuckle came from below her, rumbling through his chest. “My pleasure.” 

Large hands smoothed up her spine, stroking her hair. Rey nudged her nose over his gland. 

One day, maybe soon, she might be able to bite there. And he could bite hers. Make it official. She was bursting to tell him what she wanted. It was almost on the very edge of her tongue, rolling around in her mouth with every word she spoke, every time she opened her lips. 

A somewhat alarming thought formed in her mind as she considered her heat. Rey could only guess at how actually spending it with Ben would affect her. 

What if she accidentally let something slip? There could be a veritable list of things she’d let free in her heat-drunk fever. And if she did say something, he’d likely think it was just her heat talking, and that would set them back all over again. After all, she’d done all she could to avoid any talk of mating, so she wouldn’t blame him for not believing her. 

Ben, on the other hand, had given some indication of his feelings, at least she thought so. A sudden wave of dread spread through her—what if she’d completely misunderstood? What if he didn’t really want to mate her?

She forced herself to stop. To breathe. To remember all the times he’d held her close, as he was holding her now, and nuzzled her gland, the times he’d called her his Omega, said that she was it, there was no other Omega for him. Her doubts were only shadows from her fucked-up history. He did feel the same, she was mostly sure of it. 

But it would be better to tell him sooner rather than later. Even better, tell him now. Before she was too far gone in her heat. 

Rey breathed deeply, searching for courage and with her eyes closed, began to speak.

“Ben, I—I wanted to talk to you about something,” she said quietly into his chest. 

“Mm?”

“I was thinking, I mean, I know… we've been together for a little while now—”

“—four months and twenty-two days—” 

“And I know I’ve not … been very open with my feelings, but….” She paused, thinking of how to phrase it. Her heart started beating faster in her chest, nerves building. 

Now that the moment was here, the words she’d planned and agonised over for the last week, had disappeared. Her brain was empty. Only her steadily increasing heartbeat was registering. It was becoming quite loud now, almost like the sound of feet on an old wooden floor. 

In fact, it _was_ footsteps. Someone was coming.

Rey turned her head to look behind her and out the room. 

A man in his mid-sixties, a Beta judging by the smell, sauntered past the open doorway, glancing through it as he passed. He stopped suddenly and raised his eyebrows.

“Benjamin! Back in your old room again! Who’s that you’ve got there?”

Ben jerked up, took one look at the man, then groaned, resting his head back on the bed. 

“Rey, this is my uncle Luke. Luke, this is Rey. ” 

Ben’s uncle had a short greying beard and was looking very casual in a tie-dyed shirt and khaki shorts, long socks sticking out of his sandals. A camera hung from a strap around his neck; the finishing touch to his ensemble. 

“Uh, nice to meet you,” Rey said, face feeling red. Lying knotted on Ben’s cock was not how she’d planned meeting the rest of Ben’s family. She could only hope they looked pretty innocuous, Rey cuddling up on Ben’s chest, Ben’s arms linked around her back, skirt covering anything interesting. She smoothed one hand over her skirt, just in case. 

Luke nodded his head and smiled absentmindedly, a bit of a hippie professor vibe to him.

“They’re doing the cake soon, so time to stop lolling about, Benjamin! You better not miss it!” Luke turned abruptly to continue on his way, but as he did so his camera swung and clipped the doorframe. 

He winced. “Darn it.” He inspected the camera carefully. “No harm done, thankfully. This is a classic Olympus, you know. 1973,” he said, lifting it up to display to the pair. “You know much about cameras, Rey?”

“A little,” she shrugged, awkwardly. She did know more than a little, but it didn’t seem to be the time and place to have that discussion. Luke unfortunately did not feel the same, and took the opportunity to point out the camera’s best features, droning on enthusiastically for a few minutes, before he held it up with an eager smile.

“Hey, how about I get a quick snap for you. I’ll send it to you later so you can see the quality. I only shoot in black and white.” 

“Uh-n— no, that’s, that’s okay—” 

But Luke already had it up to his eye, looking through the viewfinder.

“Now, stay just like that—yes, that angle of your arm Rey, very nice composition—the light and the shadow just perfectly balanced. Maybe try not to grimace so much, Ben. Relax your face.” 

With a loud and pronounced _click_ , Luke took the photo, before lowering it again with a satisfied smile, already looking distracted again. 

“There. That’ll turn up very well, I’m sure. Anyway, better get your butts moving now,” Luke said with one final nod to them, before he turned and wandered down the corridor, leaving them in a settling silence. 

Rey turned her head to meet Ben’s eyes. A huff of laughter escaped her. 

“So… that was your uncle, hey?”

“Sorry about that,” Ben muttered. “He’s always been insufferable.” 

“It’s fine,” Rey said. 

And it really was. She was becoming almost immune to being caught now. At this stage it was more mildly amusing, than horrifying. Only a little annoying if anything. 

“With your heat being so close, I think my knot will last for a fairly long time, sorry,” Ben said. “But I can get us up and close the door now.”

“No, leave it. I’m too comfortable now, I don’t want to move.”

As she settled her head back down on Ben’s chest, Rey’s mind wandered back to the conversation she was determined to start— a daunting conversation regarding her feelings and hopes. She reminded herself that she needed to tell Ben before it was too late. And there may not be a better time. 

But of course, it was not to be.

Over the next few minutes, another three more visitors made their way past the open door to the bathroom next to it, one after another, stopping to say hello and give Ben a wave, looking in curiously and chatting briefly. He bore it well and with a begrudging politeness. 

Rey’s previous calmness had in contrast, mostly vanished; she was growing more frustrated by the minute.

And by the time that Finn and Rose paused at their doorway, she was feeling considerably less patient and a lot more desperate. 

“Hey, I was wondering where you’d gotten to! Leia’s looking for you—they’re about to do the cake and sing ‘happy birthday’,” Finn said excitedly, as though it was the highlight of his week.

“Yes, we know!” Rey called back. That bloody cake. 

“Well, come on then!” Finn beckoned to them, no doubt expecting them to jump up and skip down the hall.

Rey closed her eyes and sighed. Ben rubbed her back. 

“Give us another five minutes. Maybe ten.” 

“Why?”

“Rey’s not feeling well.” Ben said, giving an excuse which wasn’t much of a lie at this point, what with her mounting irritation. 

Rose made a noise of concern from the door. “That’s no good, Rey.” 

Finn frowned and came further into the room, stopping a few feet from the bed. “You okay? Did you eat too much cheese? I told you to stay away from it—I don't think it agrees with your stomach.”

“What? No!” _That fucker_. She did _not_ have a lactose intolerance issue. “It’s just, I’m a little tired.” 

“Oh, right. Well, how about you just rest and take a seat at the back of the party. I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

“Uh, no, I—I’d rather rest here.” 

“But you’ll miss the cake!” Finn said, perplexed. It was true that she wasn’t one for passing up free food. Especially cake. “Well, if you want to stay here, Ben should go at least. Look, how about I stay up with you, Rey, and Ben you go out for the cake and speeches. I’ll look after her,” he said, nodding reassuringly. 

“No, it’s okay. I’ll stay here,” Ben said, gruffly. 

Rey swallowed down the urge to snap. Finn was a very good friend to her at times and generally well-meaning, even if it wasn’t always appreciated. He’d get the message and leave them soon enough. 

He didn’t. 

“But it’s your dad’s birthday! There’s no need for you to miss it. Rey can survive without you for ten minutes, can’t you, Rey?“

“Finn. No.” 

“Why not?”

“Just leave it, Finn,” Rey said through gritted teeth.

“Why? It’s not like you can’t actually move!”

She avoided his eyes and huffed, frustration building, something else bubbling up inside. 

“Uh, Finn—” Rose's eyes were wide as she turned to the door, suddenly very interested in the corridor outside. 

At that moment, Poe turned up at the door behind Rose, squeezing past her and looking inside curiously. “Hey, what’s happening?”

“Nope—not you. Get out, Poe!” Ben barked, leaning up to glare at him, tightening his hands around Rey’s side.

Poe paused and frowned, dejected. “What? Why?”

Finn ignored this interruption and persisted in his argument. “I don’t see why it’s such a big deal. I don’t mind staying up here with you.” 

“Finn—”

“Seriously. Ben can go. I’ll hang out with you, Rey.”

“Finn, _no_ —”

“But why?” 

“Because!”

“Well, I don’t see why—” 

Rey sat up, feeling beyond it all. She’d reached the end; she’d had enough of this. She’d been holding it together for so long and the weight was too much—without giving it a second thought, she finally let the words spring to her mouth and escape;

“—Because I just want to stay _fucking knotted with_ _my mate in peace_!” 

  
  
  


A shocked silence filled the room. 

The words rang and echoed in her ears, like a bell that could not be unrung. They were out there now, for all to hear. 

And they had heard, judging by their friends’ faces. They stood stupefied, mouths open and agog. 

A gurgling noise and choking cough came from Finn. A gasping laugh from Poe. Rose’s face was pink. 

The silence lengthened. 

And the tension solidified a thousandfold as Leia rounded the door, calling out Rey’s name, her voice stuttering in confusion as she peered over the shoulders of the shocked onlookers. 

“Did I just hear—?!”

“Shush!” Rose waved frantically at Leia, staring avidly at the couple on the bed. 

But Rey barely noticed. 

Because she’d finally turned to Ben, who at her words had frozen and tensed beneath her, eyes wide. 

“Did you mean that? Do you really—you want…?” He spoke carefully, as though her words might vanish into thin air, frightened off by a poorly chosen question.

The room—the house—the world—seemed to fall in a hush and hold its breath, as Ben gazed up at her, his face arrested by an unnameable expression.

Heart pounding, a flush racing up her chest and neck, flooding into her cheeks, Rey pushed herself to answer, ignoring the feelings swirling and threatening to overwhelm her, forcing herself to jump, hoping with all her might that he’d catch her. 

“Yes. I want to be your mate,” she said, swallowing, “And I want you to be mine. I know I was a bit prickly at first, well, for a while, about that topic. And I didn’t think I’d ever want this—I never thought I would. But I know now. I do. And I want it all with you.” 

With a surge of some force deep inside, words tumbled out of her, finally unrestrained and powerful in their truth. 

“I’m sick of pretending, I’m sick of hiding from this—I want you and I need you, so much. You’re it for me, Ben. I just know it. You’re my Alpha and I’m your Omega and after all we’ve been through, all you’ve done for me—I don’t care who knows it—I’m fucking knotted with you and I love it—and _I fucking_ _love you_.” 

And as quick as it had arrived with those words, her courage disappeared. Now she had leapt, she couldn’t stop herself from waiting for the plummet back to earth.

In the stillness that followed, she let out a breath.

 _Well._ That was not at all what she had planned. And it was certainly not as romantic. 

Or private. She avoided looking at the silently gawking crowd she was suddenly aware of by the door. 

But she couldn’t regret it now—it was too late for that. 

She stared up at Ben, heart in her throat and hammering against her ribs. Waiting. Watching. Praying that it would all be worth it. 

And it seemed...it was. 

Ben’s face transformed into the most beautiful smile. A sigh, or almost a laugh escaped him; a release of sorts, his eyes sparkling, crinkles and dimples on full display. And he was like the brightest star in the sky—in the whole galaxy, with how radiant he was with emotion; with elation, satisfaction, delight. 

“Rey,” he said softly, eyes only on her, “I fucking love _you_. And, of course I want you to be my mate.” 

A moment—a second passed, and then Rey’s heart took off. 

She felt light, like there were a million hot air balloons in her chest, like she was being lifted up. Like she was free. 

And the relief. The feeling was lightyears away from what she’d ever experienced; all the best orgasms in the world were nothing, _nothing_ compared to this. The pure happiness and joy running in her veins could have powered a small country by the energy flooding through her. 

She grinned at her Alpha and her mate, letting him see it all. Leaning her forehead down against his, laughter bubbled out of her, their smiles mirrored and radiating across their faces. Ben gazed back at her with such—love, yes she could call it love, eyes blinking and suspiciously shiny in their brilliance. 

They held each other tightly; her hands in his hair, his stroking her face, smiling against her unmarked-but-hopefully-not-for-long gland. 

And they could have stayed that way for hours, days even, had a gently cleared throat not made itself known from the doorway. 

Rey started, blushing and finally glancing back at their audience. 

“Well. That’s just… lovely! And I’m quite—thrilled.” Leia said, a strange expression on her face. “Quite thrilled.” She smiled slightly, before she blinked again, recovering somewhat. “But there is a time and place for this you know, Benjamin.” 

Ben finally answered, his eyes never leaving hers. 

“Mom, if my mate needs me, then I’m not going to say no. So I’m sorry, but if you really want us out there, you’re just gonna have to wait on that cake until my cock is out of Rey, because it’s not coming out anytime soon. Or bring it up here, for all I care! You’ve all seen this, everyone else may as well too!” 

A cough and bark of laughter came from around the door. “Uh, I’ll have to pass on that, if it’s fine with you, son.” Han poked his head around the corner and evaluated the scene; Leia trying to control her expression and appear disapproving, their friends still watching avidly in various states of shocked disbelief and unrestrained glee. “We’ll save you some cake, okay? Just, uh, pop down when you’re... ready.” Han added, smirking and shaking his head.

“Come on everyone, judging by the number of candles on that cake it’ll take about five years to light them, so we better get moving.” Han joked, dragging Leia with him, who had already started murmuring excitedly about telling Amilyn about her engaged-to-be-mated son.

There was a shuffle as everyone slowly made their way out the door, talking animatedly to themselves.

“Holy shit—”

“Oh my God, that was the greatest, funniest, most amazing thing ever—” 

“I thought I could smell something funny—” 

“Finn, I swear I don’t know how you get by in life. You’re so clueless sometimes—” 

“Better than anything on Netflix, hands down.”

“Is it weird if I cry? That speech—beautiful. Unorthodox, but...wow.”

Their laughter continued as everyone traipsed down the corridor, leaving them in silence. Silence that was quickly filled once more. 

A rumbling hum came from Ben’s chest, like a purr, louder than ever before. It was like the sound of some kind of resting beast returned from the hunt, utterly content and pleased with himself and with the world. 

“You okay, my love?” The words seemed to flow so naturally off his tongue. 

As did hers. 

“Never better.” 

And it was true. He was hers and she was his. 

She knew it, he knew it—everyone did. There was no denying it. Not anymore. 

She joined in with her own humming sigh, higher and softer, the two vibrating notes blending into a simple harmony. 

Yes, everything was perfect. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Sometime later

  
  
  
  


“Holy shit.” 

“Hmm?”

“I bit you.” His voice was hushed, reverent and almost in disbelief. His brown eyes lingered on hers as he held her close. 

“Now it matches yours.” She traced the line on his neck, gently pulsing with heat. A mark she had made. 

“It does.” He squeezed her sides, brushing her hair back from her face. “I guess you’re stuck with me, then.”

“Am I?” She paused, considering what had happened; their past few days, weeks, months together, and the time they had ahead. “Good. Cause that means you’re stuck with me too.” She smiled. “And you’re mine.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [i thought it was impossible, but you make it possible](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8irM5QFkr6Q)
> 
> Well, that's it. 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading and for all the comments and kudos and the love! This story has ended up being something quite different to what I imagined it would be at the start of this year and you’ve all made this so much fun. Hearing from you is hands down the best. I’d love to know what you thought of how it all worked out in the end. 
> 
> Happy holidays (and happy Christmas to those who celebrate) and end of 2020!! Yikes it’s been a year. Stay safe everyone. <3 
> 
> I’m on twitter @SteadfastStar_G and mostly just retweet a lot of reylo and funny stuff. Come say hi!


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